Kokiri Chronicles
by Storyteller1990
Summary: Set before the events of the Ocarina of Time, this story chronicles the adventures of Link right up until he leaves Kokiri Forest. Link and Saria are paired as friendship/family only. Reviews are encouraged.
1. The Storm

**Author's Note: Legend of Zelda is property of Nintendo and all other affiliated companies that had a hand in its creation. I only claim originality for the work of fiction itself, and not the game that it is inspired by. Also, this is a partial novelization, so expect there to be a few **_**minor **_**changes in detail for the sake of the story. That being said, please enjoy!**

Chapter 1

The Storm

Lightning blazed across the sky, illuminating the vast plains of Hyrule in the night. Rain poured down heavily, blanketing the earth, and producing thick, oozing puddles of mud. Soldiers rushed past her, attempting to ward off invaders, taking no notice of her as she entered the stables with a small bundle in her arms. Queen Miranda hastened to the back of the stables, where her charger, Nightingale, and her protector, Fala stood waiting with the reigns in her hands. Beside Fala was her eighteen year old daughter, Impa.

Impa took the bundle from Miranda's arms, and Fala hastily led the queen to her steed. The white mare nuzzled her affectionately, as the Queen stroked her side gently. The horse nickered and snorted.

"Hush," the Queen whispered soothingly, as Fala placed the leather saddle on the horse's back.

"Quickly," the Sheikah woman hissed desperately.

"Yes, Fala," Miranda knew the Sheikah's haste was justified; if she were kidnapped by the enemy invaders, she and her baby would certainly be put to death. Alexander, her husband, and her king, had proven wise to prepare for this day; he had never trusted the neighboring Gerudos to keep their word, and as such he had prepared this escape as part of a contingency plan, should the castle ever be invaded.

Miranda pulled herself up into the saddle, as Impa approached and handed her the bundle. Her son whimpered softly as his mother took him once again.

"Don't forget, Your Majesty, that His Majesty, the King, will rendezvous with you at Kakariko Village. You will be safe there," Fala reminded. She handed the Queen a traveling cloak.

"I know, Fala; I did not forget," Miranda said, as she attempted to drape the cloak across her shoulders single-handedly. She looked at her oldest friend and protector with concern, and love.

"Be safe," she whispered.

"We will be," Fala promised.

"Now go!" She cried, "Go quickly!" With that, she slapped the white mare's hindquarters sharply; with a snort and a whinny, Nightingale charged out of the stables, and into the cold, wet, fear-stricken night.

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Rain fell into her eyes, making it difficult to see; it cascaded down like sheets of ice, numbing her hands, and chilling her to the bone. Her infant son wailed in her arms at the discomfort. She held him tighter in the crook of her arm, as Nightingale jostled them about; she was not going to lose him to the Gerudos! She was not going to lose any of her family to them! Not her husband, not her daughter, not her son; not even her friends! To get to any of them, they would have to cross her dead body first, and she would even be taking a few of them with her to the grave!

She kicked Nightingale sharply in the ribs, urging her onward with more haste, as the sound of more horses registered behind her.

_Four, five, possibly six,_ she estimated as she attempted to count the individual snorts and hoof falls that reached her. Lightning flashed, and thunder roared overhead. Strands of her golden hair clung to her face as the rain continued to pour down even harder. There was a whistling overhead, and she turned Nightingale at just the right moment to avoid the bolt meant for her.

Now they were _shooting arrows _at her? In the night, with the darkness, and the rain, they had the advantage; darkness because it hid the shadows of the arrows from view, and rain because it masked most of the noise that accompanied the arrows' passage through the air. Turning Nightingale had been a stroke of luck, one that was not likely to repeat itself. A white horse hide on a dark night, what had she been thinking?

Soft thunder rumbled off to her left.

_More horses, _she realized, and quickly turned Nightingale to the right. The goal of these new riders had been to cut her off from Kakariko, and her husband, and they had succeeded. The enemy had read their plan like an open book, and had moved to counter it.

_I'm sorry, Alexander, but it looks like I won't make the rendezvous after all, _she thought, as she fled across the plains, and into the night.

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From his vantage point in the clock tower of Kakariko, King Alexander watched the whole scene unfold, all the while cradling his newborn daughter in his arms. He watched as Miranda was chased from the castle by a pack of Gerudo wenches. They were steadily closing the gap between themselves and their prey.

_Come on, Miranda, come on, _he pleaded desperately. As if she could sense her father's growing anxiety, Zelda wailed in his arms. He bounced her gently in his arms as he continued to watch his wife's progress from the tower. Nightingale was nearly there, nearly at the gate; another two hundred yards, and Miranda would be safely behind Kakariko's walls, and then he'd give the order and mow those scoundrels down with a volley of arrows. Everything was going according to plan…

Until he saw the reinforcements charging at her from the northeast! Relief turned to panic as he watched his wife veer away from the village to avoid her new quarry.

"Miranda!" He cried as he watched in agony. He handed the princess to one of his guards and began to descend from the clock tower, to his steed, Gilgamesh. They would not take his wife and son, not without a fight! He'd kill anyone who touched them, who _dared _to threaten them!

"Sire!" One of the guards shouted, taking hold of the king's arm. Alexander shrugged him off roughly; didn't he see that the queen was in danger, and in need of aid? Didn't he know how much the King loved her, in spite of her commoner origin? He was not going to lose her to a few thieving women and their vile bloodlust!

Other soldiers were now grabbing him, attempting to hold him back; he fought like a wild animal, until one of the soldiers cried, "My apologies, sire!" and struck him on the jaw. Alexander fell backwards, wiping away the blood from the corner of his mouth. He glared up at the man, Nathan was his name, if the king remembered correctly.

"Sire," Nathan panted. "I'm sorry, but it's too late! The queen is gone! She vanished into the night with her Gerudo pursuers!"

"Then mount a rescue!" The king ordered, "We need to find them!"

"We can't find them in this storm, Your Majesty! We must wait until it clears up before we have any chance of finding them!"

Alexander stood up, and moved towards his horse once more. This was taking too long; by the time the rain cleared, Miranda could very well be dead! He was not about to take that chance!

Nathan put his hands on the king's shoulders.

"Sire," he said quietly, "we can't afford to lose you too." The poor man was begging.

Alexander felt the tears in his eyes, as he looked towards the gate.

_Miranda, _he thought.

"Get a search party ready," he ordered, "We're leaving as soon as the rain lets up!"

_Be safe, _he pleaded silently_._

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Miranda continued relentlessly, even as the arrows continued to rain down overhead. Lucas, her son, was crying again, and she had no way to comfort him.

"Hush, now," she cooed, "Mommy's here!"

Lightning flashed overhead. Thunder rumbled.

"Don't worry," she whispered, as her son's cries continued, "Mommy's right here!"

There was a buzzing sound, and an arrow fell from the heaven's, striking Nightingale in her haunches. The horse whinnied in pain, and threatened to throw her rider off, if Miranda had not held tightly to her sides.

"Go," she begged, as he beast began to slow down, "go! Hurry Nightingale! Hurry!"

The forest lay dead ahead; if she could just reach it, she would be safe! There was another shower of arrows; she turned Nightingale this way and that, desperately trying to avoid the deadly onslaught. But her horse was no longer fast enough; one of the arrows found its mark in Miranda's shoulder. She cried out when she first felt the fire, but she continued to press towards the forest, with even more desperation. She cradled Lucas tightly.

_They will not have you, _she thought.

She made it safely into the trees; her pursuers pulled sharply on their reigns, forcing their steeds to stop. Miranda smiled wryly, this place was the Lost Woods, a place of fear, and superstition; only the brave, or the very foolish entered here. She was safe; they would follow her no further. In their eyes, she was as good as dead.

About fifty yards into the wood, Nightingale collapsed suddenly, throwing Miranda off her back, and sending the young queen to the forest floor. She spun about, twisting herself in space so that Lucas would be safe from the fall, and forcing herself to land on her back. She felt the arrow in her shoulder bite deeper, and she groaned at the pain. When it had passed, she looked at her mare: lodged just between her horse's ribs was a second arrow, one which had pierced Nightingale's heart. Miranda felt tears well in her eyes at her horse's fate.

She patted the mare on the neck as she lay dying. Nightingale snorted loudly.

"Thank you," she whispered softly, "because of you, Lucas and I were able to get away. Thank you. Good girl…good girl."

She continued patting the horse's neck.

"Go to sleep," she said softly. Nightingale snorted again, softer than before.

"Go to sleep," Miranda whispered again, still rubbing Nightingale gently. The horse became still underneath her fingers.

"Good girl," she said, giving her mare a final pat. Her son's cries reminded her that she could not linger here, not even to mourn. She had to get them somewhere safe; _she _was his only protection now. This was the hour when her baby needed her the most. She stood, and cradled him in her arms, and pressed deeper into the forest.

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The trees almost seemed to be shepherding her, guiding her. It was almost as if the forest were alive on a way that she could not comprehend. She felt as though she were being watched from every direction. She'd heard tales when she was younger, of fairies, and children, and magic, but she'd never believed them, until now.

She felt dizzy, as if her world were unbalanced. She collapsed to her knees, spent from all that had occurred in such a relatively short time. She noticed that she was kneeling before a massive tree, and it reminded her of tales of giant trees that lay in the heart of the forest; had she really reached such a place? Was she really in the heart of the forest? She also remembered other stories of how such giant trees held the spirits of ancient gods within. She looked down at her son's tiny form, asleep in her arms at last.

_Lucas,_ she thought, as she smiled sadly. She wasn't going to survive this, and she knew it. But she could at least try, and ensure her son survived. She pushed Lucas's tiny frame towards the roots of the tree, and prayed silently.

_Spirit of the forest, if you can hear me, then please honor a mother's request. I am dying; I will not last much longer. I do not plead for my life, but for the life of my son; please keep him safe. Please protect him from those who seek him harm; please look after him when I am gone._

She looked once more at the little body before her, her baby boy, and she smiled one last time. She toppled to the ground as the last of her strength failed her.

"Remember, Lucas," she whispered, "Mommy loves you."

Her blue eyes became dull, as the last of her life slipped away from her.


	2. The Will of the Forest

Chapter 2

The Will of the Forest

_Spirit of the forest, if you can hear me, then please honor a mother's request. I am dying; I will not last much longer. I do not plead for my life, but for the life of my son; please keep him safe. Please protect him from those who seek him harm; please look after him when I am gone…_

From within the depths of the ancient tree, a spirit stirred, hearing the faint prayers of a mortal, a mother, begging for the life of her child. It heard the tiny wails of an infant close by, and felt the life of his mother slip away.

_Such a tragedy, _the spirit thought at length. The mother had died, leaving her son orphaned and alone. From the depths of the earth, roots sprang up, and wrapped themselves about the mother's body, entombing her in a gentle embrace.

_I will honor your request, o brave mother, _the spirit thought, _for the sake of your love, I shall do as you have asked. _A new set of tendrils joined the first, and gently lifted the baby into the air.

_Male, a strong spirit, like that of his mother, _the spirit observed. The spirit dug deeper into the infant's mind, gently exploring its vast, undefined depths, hoping to see a small glimpse of the boy's future.

_Mama! Mama! Want mama! Where mama? Where? _The child was desperate for its mother, something the spirit could not provide. Its thoughts were unfocused, save for this single object of its devotion; the boy longed for his mother's gentle touch, for her warmth, for her kiss upon his cheek, or her soft whispers in his ear. But he would never know them again.

_Sleep, little one, _the spirit whispered, gently. Immediately, the child's wailing ceased, and was replaced by slow, steady breaths. It was the only gift the spirit could provide.

_Sleep._

The roots began to recede, as the spirit gently placed the child upon the soft earth once more.

_He must have a name, _the spirit decided. The mother had not provided one before she died; and the spirit knew that the child would need one before long. Therefore, it was the spirit's responsibility to provide such a sense of identity.

What would be an appropriate name, the spirit wondered. Bido, Fafo, Fili, and Mido were all taken already, as names for his other children; so what was he to do? The child needed a name, and yet, the spirit was unable to provide. He turned the dilemma over in his mind: the boy needed a name, he had a connection to the outside world, a link that none of his other children had –

The spirit's thoughts came to a halt.

_Link, _he wondered. It _was _an unusual name, he would admit that, but at the same time, it _did _fit the boy perfectly. He had a connection to the outside world; he _was _a connection, a link for the spirit of the forest and the world beyond. He was a bridge for the unseen world that lay in the depths of the forest, and the world from which he had come.

_Link, _the spirit decided as he receded into the vast depths of his ancient body.

The boy born of the outside world, taken in by the forest, had been given a name by the guardian of the forest.

_His name was Link._

His brothers and sisters would arrive before too long, and introductions could be made then, the spirit decided. Until then, he would sleep, and the child with him, undisturbed by any night time noise, or any creature of the wood. Together, father and son slumbered peacefully, awaiting the call of the morning sun.

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"Father?"

The voice of one of his children roused him from his slumber. Several voices, in fact; all of them were gathered about the baby, and whispering small words of wonder to each other about the strange wonder before them.

_Yes, my child, what is it? _The spirit asked gently.

His daughter, Melanie, looked over her shoulder at the others, before she continued. She was one of the more adventurous of his children, speaking her mind more often than the others, but still hesitant when it came to asking questions of her father.

"Um," she began hesitantly, "well…"

_Ask, my child, and do not be afraid of the question that is in your heart, _her father admonished gently.

"T-the others and I," she began again, "well…we were wondering what that little thing is on the ground before you. We don't know, and the others wanted me to ask."

He knew they would be curious. They had never seen a baby before.

_That is your new brother, _her father explained.

"New brother?" Melanie asked, confused. "But he's so small! He can't even sit up, and he doesn't even know how to speak! What do you want us to do with him?"

_Raise him, _the spirit answered. All his children looked up at him in confusion.

_Teach him, guide him, _their father continued uninterrupted. _Show him what it means to be Kokiri, a child of the forest._

"But Father, isn't he from you, like all of us?" Mido demanded in a baffled tone. How were they supposed to raise their new brother? And what did it mean to "raise" anyway? How did you "raise" someone to become a keeper of the forest? The Kokiri only did what came naturally to them; how did you teach what was a part of yourself?

_I will say it again, _the spirit answered, deflecting Mido's question, _you will raise your brother to know your ways, and to think as you do. I will be watching you, to help you when you need it, and offer advice when you are unsure of what to do._

Mido frowned at his father's words.

_He's hiding something, _Mido thought to himself. Their father had never avoided answering a direct question before; whatever it was about their new "brother" that their father didn't wish them to know, Mido didn't like. He didn't like secrets being kept from him; his "brother" had a secret that his father wouldn't reveal. That frightened the little Kokiri to the deepest depths of his very soul. His fairy, Ophelia, noticed.

"What is it, Mido?" She asked quietly.

"He's dangerous," Mido muttered under his breath. Whatever else his father might say, Mido _knew _that their new brother was something different, something to be feared.

_He's dangerous, _Mido thought to himself once again. He glared at the small infant that lay on the grass before his other brothers and sisters. He was a threat to the family. Mido didn't trust him.

The infant opened his eyes, and giggled at all the faces gathered about him. He reached up with tiny hands, and squirmed about, laughing as the other Kokiri laughed, and smiled down on him.

"Does he have a name, father?" Saria asked politely, as she turned to face the ancient tree.

_His name is Link._


	3. Distance

Chapter 3

Distance

Time passed, and the child known as Link had grown into a strong Kokiri, like his other brothers and sisters. They had done as their father had asked, and raised him as if he were one of them, just as they had been instructed. But slowly, over the years, a distance had begun to grow between Link and his siblings; it had been subtle at first, with furtive, quick glances, and mild teasing from time to time. None of the Kokiri had ever been openly hostile when dealing with him, but they never made an active attempt to get close to him either. They kept him at arm's length, and he respected their wishes, even if he didn't understand.

Was he not Kokiri, like them? Had he not lived among them, eaten their food, slept in their beds, and behaved as they did? Why then, did they distrust him? What had he done to make them so afraid of him? He didn't understand it at all. It all came to a head on his eighth birthday…

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Mido shoved his little brother to the ground roughly, causing tears to well in his innocent, blue eyes. His face scrunched up as he tried not to cry.

"What was that for?" He demanded, as his voice cracked. His bottom lip quivered.

"You're not allowed," Mido snarled harshly.

"But…but…it's story time!" Link protested. He always liked story time; it was the one time in his day when he got to be with his brothers and sisters, as well as his father. It was the one time of day when he felt like he belonged…to be denied like this…

Tears cascaded from his eyes like twin waterfalls. He bawled loudly as the others simply walked past, either ignoring him entirely, or shooting him dirty looks as they past.

"Stop that!" Mido snapped, and immediately Link ceased crying. He just stared at Mido, and hoped his brother would be merciful.

Mido groaned at the hopeful look in his brother's eye, and considered what would be the best way to get rid of him. If he tried to chase him away, Link would simply tell their father later; but if he didn't find a way to get him to leave, Link would simply wait until Mido had gone, and then sneak in and join the others. And Mido couldn't have that; as the years passed, he had watched his brother closely, and was amazed to watch as Link grew from a small, chubby little thing that couldn't take care of himself, to a member of the Kokiri tribe.

Kokiri didn't grow, didn't age, Mido knew that, as did every other Kokiri; and yet Link had done so, and he was getting taller with each passing year, soon he would be equal to them in height. It all proved what Mido had thought all along: that their youngest brother was dangerous and had to be kept from harming the forest, and that included their father.

_He isn't like the rest of us, _Mido thought. It was why he had to keep him away from the others at all times; he was doing it for the benefit of the forest, even if the others didn't fully understand.

"Tell you what, brother, I'll make you a deal," Mido said, smiling cheerfully at Link. Link wiped his eyes with the back of his hands.

He sniffed.

"Wh-what kind of deal?" He asked softly.

Mido's smile widened. There was only one thing that set Link apart from the other Kokiri, something they _all _possessed that he didn't, something that he would _never _possess, no matter how hard he tried…

"If you can obtain a guardian fairy, I'll gladly let you pass," Mido said, "but until then, you don't get to be with father and the others during story time, got it? That's my deal: all you have to do is obtain a fairy, and story time is yours. I promise."

Link's face brightened. Obtain a guardian fairy? That was easy! He'd have one in no time! And then he could go to story time again, and be with his family! Mido was so generous; he just wanted Link to have his fairy before he approached Father again. He wanted Link to be a "proper" Kokiri, and make their father proud.

_That's why Mido's the leader of the Kokiri, _Link thought to himself as he dashed off happily, _he always looks out for everyone!_

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Mido smiled at his brother's retreating back.

_What a sucker, _he thought as he grinned mischievously. As if he'd ever get a guardian fairy! Link was an outsider, a threat, a potential danger to the good of the forest; as if any fairy would recognize him as its master! The idea was absurd! But, if Link was willing to try, and distract himself from story time, well, so much the better for Mido. It just meant that he didn't have to keep such a close eye on him from now on. Perhaps, if he was lucky, Link would disappear and never come back!

He looked at Hiri and Kili, two of his brothers who shared his view that Link was something dangerous, and therefore, to be shunned.

"Don't let him pass, even if he _does_ show up with a fairy!" Mido ordered. His two brothers nodded compliantly, and stood side by side, barring the path that led to the Deku Tree's grove. They wouldn't let any threat befall their father.

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Link roughly shoved aside a patch of tall grass, hoping to stir up any fairies that might be hiding there. None appeared. Dejected, he sat down on the ground, and rested his head on his knees, pouting. This was so much harder than Mido had first made it out to be; how long did he expect Link to carry on with this? Until he actually caught a fairy? But that could be weeks from now! Surely, he'd be allowed to join the others for story time occasionally…_right? _Mido would let him go occasionally…_wouldn't he? _He could expect to see his father occasionally, even without a fairy; Father wouldn't hate him if he didn't have a fairy…_would he?_

Just the very thought brought tears to Link's young eyes; he didn't want his father to hate him! That was why he wanted a fairy of his own! He wanted his father to love him like his other brothers and sisters; he didn't want to be left out just because he didn't have a fairy! He stood up, wiping his eyes for the second time that day.

_Don't worry, Father, I'll have a fairy soon enough! Just you wait; it's going to be the prettiest fairy in the whole forest, _he thought as he continued up the path that would lead him out of the village, and into the forest itself.

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The Deku Tree, the guardian spirit of the forest, noted the absence of several of his children, even as he regaled the others with tales of Din, Nayru, and Farore. Absent from the crowd of wide-eyed forest children were Mido, Hiri, Kili, and Link. It was Link's absence that troubled the ancient spirit the most; he was young, naïve at times, and trusting; it would be so easy for him to lose his way in the forest, and none of the others seemed very much inclined to help their brother anymore. They seemed to barely tolerate his presence, and avoided him if they could help it; it was almost like they were afraid of their brother.

The Deku Tree couldn't imagine why. Link was gentle, kindhearted, and very even tempered; the others had nothing to fear from him, so _why did they? _He was their brother, was he not? He acted just as they did, believed himself to be one of them, had desperately tried to win their approval with everything he did.

If he could, the Deku Tree would have shed tears for his youngest child. Why did his brothers and sisters have to make this so hard for him? What had Link done to deserve it? The Deku Tree had no answers; he withdrew into himself to ponder the questions he had posed, leaving his children to stare at him with wide eyed awe as he ceased to recount the tale of Din, Nayru, and Farore, and the story of creation.

"Father?" Saria inquired softly. Like the others, she wanted to hear the end of the story.

There was no answer. Saria stood up and looked at the others.

"I guess story time is over for today," she said in a disappointed tone. The others joined her with whines, and moans of their own.

"I know, I know," she held up her hands in a placating gesture, as the others turned and began to walk away.

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"Hey wait!"

Link tripped and fell as he chased after a group of fairies. They giggled, floating just out of reach, pointing and making faces at him. Link growled in annoyance and frustration.

"Just you wait!" He shouted, "I'll catch one of you! Become your master! And then I'll be a Kokiri just like everybody else!"

The fairies just tittered, and giggled even harder.

"Silly boy!" One of them cried, "You don't choose the fairy! The fairy chooses you! If you don't have one by now, then you'll be lucky if you ever get one!"

"Then I'll just have to take one!" Link cried, and began hopping up and down, snatching at the air as the fairies sailed higher, just out of reach.

_Oh, you think that's funny, _he thought when they began to laugh even harder. He saw a tree standing not far off from where he was standing, an old gnarled thing that twisted and knotted in a convoluted mess. It was no longer recognizable as a tree, except for its bark, but Link knew it would still serve his purposes well. He rushed over to it, and began to climb it, while the fairies simply jeered, and pulled faces, some of them rather rudely.

He made it out to a branch, and held his arms out parallel to the ground for balance as he began to walk across the limb. If he could just make it to where the fairies were floating, he could jump off, and catch one of them in the jar that he had brought with him. See how they would laugh then, when he had one of their friends in a jar!

_My own fairy, _he thought happily. Carefully, he reached into the satchel at his waist, and removed the jar from within. He pulled the cork out from the top.

_A little more…a little more, _he thought as he neared the winged sprites. They were almost within reach…

He was directly across from them now. He smiled as he took a flying leap at them.

"You're mine!" He shouted, as he closed the bottle tightly about one of the impish sprites. He fell to the ground, and rolled to prevent himself from smashing the bottle on his way down. The other fairies fled in terror, leaving their companion to whatever fate the forest had in store for him. Link grinned widely as he looked inside the jar.

"My own fairy," he said proudly, and grinned, like a fox. Both Mido and Father would be so impressed! He hurried back to the village to show them his accomplishment.

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Mido looked at the contents of the jar with a bored expression on his face.

"What is this?" he demanded, and looked at Link, his little brother.

Link's jubilant expression wilted slightly. What was wrong?

"It's…it's my fairy," he answered, "My guardian fairy, Mido. Remember, you said I could see Father again when I had a guardian fairy. And now I -"

"Link," Mido interrupted, taking the jar from his hands. He looked at the fairy scornfully.

"This isn't a guardian fairy," he continued, "It's a healing fairy."

Link looked at him in horror.

"You mean," he began, staring at his captive fairy in horror.

Mido smiled.

"That's right," he said, as the realization sank in, "it means you grabbed the wrong fairy!"

He opened the jar, and the fairy buzzed about angrily overhead, zipping about this way and that. Mido watched it with disinterest for several moments before turning to look at his brother once more.

"Sorry, brother, but it looks like you don't get to see Father just yet," he said apologetically.

"But," Link protested, "but I -"

"Yes, you caught a fairy," Mido replied, cutting him off. "But the deal was you were to obtain a guardian fairy, not a _healing _fairy. You agreed that until then, you wouldn't see Father. That was our deal!"

"But…but Mido!" Link's young eyes welled with tears.

"Aww, look at him, Mido! Baby brother's about to cry!" Hiri sneered.

Link glared at him.

"I am not!" He choked.

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Whoa! Whoa there! Everyone calm down!" Mido stepped between the two feuding brothers, a hand held against each of them. He smiled at each of them.

"Link, I'm sorry, but I can't go back on my word, and I can't let you do the same! You promised not to see Father until you had a guardian fairy, and I'm going to hold you to that."

Link hung his head; this was not fair! He'd caught a fairy; didn't that count for something?

"Hiri," Mido continued, looking at his other brother now, "less teasing! You know that Father doesn't like it!" Hiri nodded respectfully, but said nothing.

"Good," Mido said, "now, everyone, get to bed! It's going to be nightfall soon, and we have a big day tomorrow!"

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Link lay on his bed, crying. He'd tried so hard, and he'd managed to grab the wrong stupid fairy! He could have seen Father again, if he'd just grabbed the right one! Now, he'd disappointed Mido, and would be forced to try again in the morning!

He beat his fists on the bed angrily; it just wasn't fair! And Mido was going to see to it personally that he upheld their bargain!

_Father, _he thought, _I just wanted to see you again!_

It was many hours before he fell asleep.


	4. The Real Deal

Chapter 4

The Real Deal

The morning sun entered his doorway, awakening him with its gentle touch. He opened his eyes slowly, feeling groggy. He sat up on his bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and yawning. He stretched, arching his back like a cat's, and stepped out his front door. The morning rays hit him with full force now, and he was forced to raise his arm to shield his eyes from their intense light.

He inhaled deeply, and exhaled slowly; today was the day he was going to obtain a guardian fairy. He could feel it; deep within himself, he just _knew_ that today would be _that_ day. After a year of hard effort, he would finally be rewarded with a fairy of his own, Mido would let him see his father again, and everything would be back to normal. He smiled at the thought of finally being able to put all of this behind him!

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As he stood in line for breakfast, he was keenly aware of awkward stares. He knew what they were staring at; it was the one thing that separated him from everyone else, the one thing that he couldn't hide that made him stand out from the rest: his lack of a fairy. Every Kokiri received one at some point in their lifetime; the fairy served as an extension as well as a partner for each Kokiri within the village. Link's obvious lack of one made him stand out, it made him somehow less in the eyes of his brothers and sisters, like he was beneath them, like he was a "half-person."

It was a second reason he desired a fairy so badly: to get the staring to stop. Even as Melanie ladled blueberry oatmeal into his bowl, she stared at him pitying eyes; as he sat down next to Hido and Malko, they edged away, like he had some infectious disease. It hurt; couldn't he just be their brother, in spite of his deficiency? Couldn't he just enjoy a meal with them in peace, without all the awkward stares?

He looked about; everyone was staring at him now. He sighed dejectedly; he hadn't even made it to the first bite, and already he was being treated like an outcast. He put his bowl on the ground, and stood up from the fallen tree trunk upon which he sat.

"On second thought," he said, as if thinking aloud, "I'm not hungry."

As he walked through the remaining crowd of Kokiri, he felt the heat rise in his cheeks, as his stomach growled loudly. He heard their snorts of laughter, and their giggling fits.

_Alright, maybe I am hungry, _he admitted once he was free of them, _but maybe I wouldn't be, if they didn't make it so obvious that _I _make them uncomfortable. _Angrily, he stalked off in the direction of the forest. He was going to obtain a fairy; even if it was the last thing he did!

_And I thought today was going to be a good day, _he thought sarcastically. How naïve could he be?

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"Is he serious about going back into the forest?" Hiro asked Ada, through a mouthful of oatmeal.

"I guess," his sister answered, as she took a sip from her mug.

"I just don't get it," Hiro whispered back, "doesn't he realize he's _never _going to get a fairy? I mean, he _should _have one by now, if he was ever going to get one; doesn't he realize it's hopeless?"

"His head's as empty as his stomach," Tala observed. "He'd never figure it out, even with a map."

"Well, one good thing out of all this is: he's out of the village for several hours, at least. Makes things a little less awkward while he's gone," Ada said.

There were murmurs of agreement at these words.

Saria heard all these words, and others; she put her bowl down, and headed off in the direction of the forest. Someone had to tell her brother how much of a knucklehead he really was; it may as well be her.

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Link saw them, floating now more than fifteen feet away, by a spring no more than ten feet across, and only several inches deep. He crawled toward them slowly, inching toward them, and pausing now and then to make sure they didn't spot him. He had his jar in hand, ready to drop it down on one of them once he was close enough. He spotted one, not far off, staying away from the main group; if he could just get to her…

His stomach rumbled audibly, causing the fairies to scatter. He growled in annoyance, and stood up, dashing into the spring, swinging his arms about wildly in a desperate attempt to capture a fairy. He looked about; all the fairies were gone, departed for who knew where. Dejected, he walked out of the spring, and onto dry land once more, where he sighed, and fell flat on his back.

_Wrong day to skip breakfast, _he thought, as he looked up at the sky. What time was it anyway? Almost midday? That meant it was almost lunchtime back at the village; and here he was: empty, drained, and miserable, all because of a stupid fairy chase!

_Even an apple would be nice, _he thought miserably.

"There you are!" A voice pierced the silence of his misery. Link sat up and looked about; Saria was approaching from a hollowed out log, running as quickly as she could.

"Finally caught up to you," she panted when she reached him.

Link let her catch her breath, and said nothing as he stood up.

"Still trying to catch your fairy?" She asked as she observed the jar in his hand.

Link smiled sheepishly.

"Heh…yeah, and it's a lot harder than it looks," he admitted.

Saria hung her head.

"Saria? What's wrong?" Link asked, concerned.

She muttered something softly under her breath.

"What?"

Saria looked up at him with a determined expression on her face.

"You know he's tricking you, don't you?" She demanded.

Link stared at her, baffled.

"What are you talking about?" Link demanded.

"Mido," Saria clarified. "He's not going to let you see Father."

"But…but we have…"

"Link," she interrupted in a pitying tone, "the only reason he agreed to that deal in the first place is because he thought you stood no chance of obtaining a fairy. No one believes you can!"

Link stared at her blankly. It wasn't true! It couldn't be! Mido wouldn't swindle him! He was the boss of the Kokiri; and a boss didn't do things like that!

"Y-you're lying," he said in disbelief.

"Link," she whispered soothingly.

He backed away from her, when she reached out to him.

"You're lying!" He screamed, quivering with rage. He ran away, shedding tears, not even bothering to look back.

_It's not true! _He screamed inside. _It's not true!_

Saria watched as his back retreated into the distance.

_Oh, Link, _she thought to herself as she watched her brother run off. She hadn't meant to hurt him; she only wanted to tell him the truth. He may be strange, when compared to the others, she would admit that, but that was no excuse to deceive him as Mido had…she had only wanted to tell him the truth; she didn't want this!

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Link ran as fast as he could in any direction that would take him away from the village, away from Saria, away from Mido, away from them all! Tears cascaded from his eyes as he ran.

_It isn't true, _he thought desperately. _It wasn't true! _Mido would never betray him like that! He couldn't! He was the boss of the Kokiri! He couldn't just cheat Link on a deal like that! It wasn't fair! It wasn't right!

His tears blurred his vision, causing him to lose his balance and stumble to the ground, where he collapsed, and sobbed uncontrollably.

"No, no, no, no, no!" He shouted as he pounded his fists into the ground. Saria had to be lying; yes, that was it! This was a secret part of the test! Mido wanted to see if he still had the strength to carry on, even if he doubted Mido's sincerity! Mido had told Saria to say those things, as a way to determine what Link would do when faced with doubt.

He wiped his eyes. Yes! That had to be it! This was all just a test!

_But what if it _is _the truth, _a nasty little voice in the back of his mind demanded. What if Saria had been telling the truth? What then? He felt his hands tighten into fists at the thought.

_Then Mido would regret what he had done. _Link would see to that.

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_You're sure of this, my child?_

"Yes, Father," Saria answered, lowering her eyes guiltily, and staring at her boots.

_I see. _So that was why the Deku Tree had not seen his youngest child in over a year: he had been off in the forest, gallivanting after fairies, on Mido's orders as part of an arrangement they had.

"I shouldn't have said anything," Saria mumbled quietly. She had gotten Mido in so much trouble!

_Nonsense, my child! You did the right thing, coming to me as you did._

"But…Father…I," Saria was afraid of what would happen once Mido found out.

_If anyone is to be at fault, it is either myself or Mido; I, for not seeing the signs that something was amiss, and Mido for his arrogance and fear. I will speak to them both in private._

Saria said nothing. Her father's solution did nothing to alleviate her anxiety; Mido would hate her for what she'd done, and Link didn't trust her anymore after what she'd tried to accomplish.

_Saria._

She looked up towards the massive tree that served as her father's physical body.

"Yes, Father?"

_Thank you for telling me; you were very brave just now. Do not let the others tell you otherwise; how else am I to be a father to my children, if I do not know what happens in their lives? That is why I thank you for having the courage to speak to me._

Saria felt tears of happiness well in her eyes. She walked up to her father, and embraced his sturdy trunk.

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Link saw a commotion in the village when he returned later that evening; Mido was standing in the middle of a ring made up of his brothers and sisters, and was, apparently, shouting angrily at them. At least, Link assumed that that was what his wild gestures meant; he wasn't close enough to hear what his brother was actually saying.

_I'd better hurry down there, and find out what's going on, _he thought. Whatever it was, if it was important enough to get Mido shouting, he'd _better not _miss it.

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"Which one of you told Father!?" Mido demanded, as he glared angrily at those assembled. No one stirred.

"Come on," he prodded, "I know _one_ of you did! How else could Father know about what transpired between me and our baby brother? So, come on, tell me! Which one of you told Father about it?"

Still no one said anything.

"Do you want to know why I made that deal in the first place?" He asked. Everyone seemed curious, but they all remained as mute as statues.

"It was to get him out of here! For our safety, and the safety of the forest; he's dangerous, no matter what Father says; and besides, there's no way a fairy would ever choose _him! _If he doesn't have one by now, then he'll never get one; he can search the forest high and low for the rest of his existence, but no fairy is ever going to select him as its partner!

"But he's more than welcome to try," Mido continued, "Especially if it gets him out of the village for most of the day –"

The sound of broken glass pierced Mido's tirade. All the Kokiri turned around; some of them cast guilty looks at the sight. Link was standing behind them, the remains of his glass jar lying at his feet, and his face was a mask of pain, a mask of one who had been betrayed.

It _was _true?

His visage changed from one of hurt, to one of anger as he charged at his brother.

"Mido!" He cried, as he tackled his older brother to the ground. He drew back his fist, and squarely Mido squarely on the jaw. Mido reached up with both hands, in an attempt to stop his brother's blows.

"You little –," he snarled.

"You lied to me!" Link growled back, "You put me through this for a year! A year, Mido! And now I find out you were never going to keep your word!? We had a deal!" He struggled against his brother's grip.

Mido grinned.

"That's right! A deal's a deal, and _you _still don't have a fairy, so _you _still don't get to see Father!"

Link was furious. Mido wasn't even going to deny it! This _had _been his plan all along!

"You–," he began angrily.

The ground quaked beneath the pair of feuding brothers as tendrils shot upwards from underground, binding themselves around their wrists and ankles, immobilizing them.

_ENOUGH!_

For the first time in his life, Link felt fear rise up from within at the sound of his father's voice. The Deku Tree sounded furious.

_All of you: to bed this instant! _He commanded, _That includes you, Mido! No arguments! Just go! _Everyone hastened to obey. Mido stuck his tongue at Link as he left.

_Link, _the Deku Tree's voice was soft now, _I would speak with you alone._

Link said nothing as his father's roots released him from their grip.


	5. Family and Friend

Chapter 5

Family and Friend

_It has been a long time since you last graced me with your presence, my son._

"Father," Link whispered, as he slowly entered the Deku Tree's grove. The ancient tree towered above him, making him feel small and weak in comparison, yet at the same time he felt warm, comforted, and protected underneath its shadow. He had waited so long for this moment, and to have it at last…

It was too much. He sprinted toward his father's trunk, and cast himself against it, sobbing uncontrollably, his tears spilling down onto his father's rough bark.

"I m-missed you s-s-so m-much," he sobbed. He sank to his knees, feeling weak with relief.

_My son._

"Father," Link whispered lovingly, smiling through his tears.

_Why did you remove yourself from my presence for so long, when it has obviously caused you so much pain, my son?_

"Mido," Link croaked out his brother's name.

_What about him? What did your brother do to you, Link?_

"H-he s-said I couldn't s-see you again. N-not until I had a guardian fairy of my own!" Link explained.

_I see._

_ "_I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Father," Link said apologetically, "I just wanted to impress you. You _and_ Mido! But I didn't! I didn't get the fairy! I failed! And Mido said–"

_That's enough, my child._

Link gave a small hiccup and fell silent.

_You are my son, as much as any other Kokiri, and you have the right to speak with me as much as any of them, _his father whispered.

"The others don't seem to think so," Link muttered darkly. "They all think I'm just a half-person, because I don't have a fairy."

_Link, pitying oneself is ill becoming, and it serves no purpose in the end, _the Deku Tree's tone was stern now.

Again, Link was silent.

_If you are unsatisfied with your lot, then make strides to change it, _his father advised. _If you feel that obtaining a fairy is somehow beyond your reach, then wait patiently; the day will come when you are chosen. No Kokiri has ever been without a fairy, and you will not be the first, no matter what others think._

Link nodded in understanding as he listened to his father's words.

His father's tone became stern once more.

_Now that I have said what must be said, I do not want to see you before me again for striking Mido, or any of your siblings for that matter. Do I make myself clear, young one?_

Link pressed himself to the bark once more.

"Yes, Father," he answered.

_Good. Now, off to bed with you._

Patting the bark affectionately one last time, Link turned, and left the sanctity of the grove.

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"Link!"

He turned at the sound of his name, to see Saria running towards him in the darkness.

"Saria? What are you still doing up? Father told everyone to go to bed!" And Saria always did as their Father instructed. It wasn't like her to disobey.

She came to a halt before him, and looked down at the ground, embarrassed or ashamed, Link could not tell. But he was grateful to see her nonetheless.

"I," she began hesitantly, still looking down. She took a deep breath, before continuing.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about earlier today. I was just trying to tell you the truth, not hurt your feelings; I didn't want…I didn't mean," she faltered, and fell silent.

"I-it's okay," Link mumbled. "I know now that you didn't _mean _for it to hurt like it did; it just did. And…and I want to apologize for calling you a liar," he looked away for a moment, "that was wrong."

Saria hugged him tightly, which he warmly returned.

"Apology accepted," Saria whispered quietly, and held him even tighter.

Link blushed in the darkness, as his stomach rumbled loudly, choosing to remind him once again, of its displeasure at being ignored. He groaned in embarrassment, even as Saria giggled in his ear.

"Hungry?" She queried, as she released him.

"Sorry," Link muttered apologetically, thoroughly embarrassed.

She took him by the wrist.

"Don't be," she said with a smile.

"Where are you taking me?" Link demanded, as she half led, half dragged him about the village.

"Back to my house," she answered, "I have some berries, and some peaches I think you'll enjoy. I even have some tea brewing!"

"You don't have to -," he began.

"As hungry as you sound? Yes I do." Saria interrupted, as she looked over her shoulder. She shook her head.

"Besides, after what happened earlier today?" She added, "I owe you."

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Saria's house came into view; it was all that remained of the trunk of a tree that had fallen many years ago. It had been hollowed out, with a curtain drawn across the doorway, like all Kokiri houses. She pulled back the curtain, and led her fairy-less brother inside.

"You can wait right here," she said, indicating a spot by the door. Her fairy, Tiberius, appeared, holding a candle nearly three times his height between his arms.

"Thank you, Tiberius," she said sweetly, as she took the candle from him.

He gratefully handed it to Saria, before floating away deeper into the house. She knelt down beside her small fire, and extended the candle's wick into the flames; it flared to life, and she set it in the candle holder that sat upon her tabletop.

"There," she said, "that's better. Please, have a seat." She indicated a seat at the table; Link, gingerly, took his seat.

"Do you need any help?" He asked, as he watched her pour her tea into two separate mugs.

Saria shook her head, as she placed the mugs on a tray.

"I'm fine," she said, as she reached up for a bowl of raspberries, and a plump, juicy peach from her larder, and placed them on the tray as well. She carried it over to the table, and handed the food to her brother, as well as a mug of her freshly brewed blackberry tea.

"Go on," she said, "eat up."

Link lifted the peach to his mouth, and bit into its tender flesh. Its sweet juice dribbled down his chin, as he chewed slowly; Saria handed him a napkin to wipe up the juice on his chin. It _was_ good, after going all day without food. He popped one of the raspberries into his mouth, enjoying its sweet, tangy, tartness. For several moments there was only silence in the house, filled only by the sounds of chewing, and the sipping of tea.

"What's that?" Link asked suddenly, spotting something lying next to Saria's bed. It was a pale, cream color, and had an ovoid shape to it. Saria twisted around in her seat to see what it was that Link had spotted; and she smiled when she discovered the source of his curiosity. She rose from her place at the table, walked over to the head of her bed, and retrieved the object in question, before taking her place at the table again.

She placed the object on the table, so that Link could see it better.

"It's my ocarina," she said. Link looked at it in wonder; he'd never seen one before.

"What's it for?" He asked, curiously.

She giggled at the question.

"It's for making music," she explained.

Link gave her a puzzled look; how did you make music with an instrument like this? It had so many more holes than a flute, and it was shaped so strangely. He shook his head, he didn't understand.

In order to demonstrate, Saria picked up the instrument and placed it to her lips, blowing into it. Link watched in fascination as she alternated her fingers over the holes to produce different notes; the song she was playing was soothing, peaceful, slow even, as if she were attempting to capture the very soul of the forest in her music. To say it was moving would be an understatement; Link brushed at his eyelashes when she had finished. It had been beautiful.

"I took to playing music because of Tiberius," she explained, "He likes it, and he enjoys hearing me play all the time." She smiled as she thought of her companion. "I think he'd just sit around, and hear me play all day if I'd let him," she added.

She paled as she looked at Link in horror for her callousness.

"I'm so sorry," she began, "I didn't mean-"

Link smiled, and she stopped midsentence.

"It's alright," he said, "I don't mind. I like your music too," he added, "I understand why Tiberius likes it so much!"

She smiled at her brother hopefully. She looked down, embarrassed.

"Really?" She asked. She'd always thought she was mediocre at best.

"Yeah, really," Link said encouragingly, "You should play all the time! You're amazing, Saria! I've never heard music like yours before; it's like you're trying to bring the forest to life with your song!"

Saria blushed. He thought she was _that _good?

"Thank you," she said quietly, as she stood, and took his dishes from him, and placed them on the counter in her kitchenette. She heard a small musical note from behind her, and she turned about to see Link attempting to mimic her performance. He noticed her staring, and hastily put her instrument back on the table, looking guilty, and apologetic.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

She laughed playfully.

"I can teach you, if you want; playing music isn't all that hard once you get used to it," she said.

Link shook his head.

"I don't have an ocarina," he said, "It wouldn't do me any good."

"I'll teach you how to make one," she said, "and then we can play together."

Link's eyes brightened.

"Really?"

"Really. I'll even help you on your fairy hunts from now on," Saria added, "there's no sense in you doing it on your own all the time. When were you planning on going next?"

"Tomorrow morning, after breakfast, same as always," Link answered.

"I'll be ready by then," Saria promised.

Link stood up from his seat.

"I guess I'd better be going home," he said meekly, "Thank you for the food…and the tea…and the music!" He smiled, before he turned and exited out the door.

"You're welcome," Saria whispered softly, as she blew the candle out. She smiled as she slipped into her warm bed.


	6. Siblings

**Author's Note: A chapter that I believe to be mostly filler; but at the same time, I feel that it helps flesh out some of the characters, without detracting from the story itself. Anyway, hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 6

Siblings

Tiberius landed gently on Saria's nose. He waited, hands on his knees, his eyes wide with a childlike innocence and curiosity. He fluttered his wings with a mild impatience; Saria stirred in her sleep, and opened her eyes slowly. Tiberius smiled as his partner went cross-eyed to look at him.

"Good morning," he said cheerily, as he floated away from her face, and darted about the room.

"Tiberius?" Saria moaned, as she sat up, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She looked outside as the sun poured in with its gentle rays.

"What time is it?" She demanded curiously as her companion once again floated before her eyes.

Tiberius smiled brightly.

"Almost nine," the little fairy answered, still cheerful. "I thought you might want to sleep in a little later because of…you know…yesterday?" Now his smile became a little shy.

"You're sweet," Saria said, as she stretched, "but you really should have woken me." She pulled on her shoes, wiggling her toes about inside them. Once she was comfortable, she stood up, and exited her house.

"I know," Tiberius answered, as he followed her out the door. Publicly, he'd never disagree with his partner; a fairy and his companion were one: for one to disagree with the other showed that they were in conflict, or displeased with one another somehow. Privately, however, was another matter; Saria looked worn out, tired from the past week's exertions. Between helping Link find a partner of his own, and teaching him how to make and play an ocarina, as well as her other duties, Saria was beginning to show signs of fatigue.

He observed her out of the corner of his eye, as she stifled a yawn.

_Yes, _he thought to himself. He had made the right choice. It was a fairy's duty to be a Kokiri's caretaker, as well as their friend and partner; which meant Tiberius was also responsible for her physical well being, not just for making sure she completed her tasks in a timely manner. And unlike many of the other fairies, Tiberius put her health first, before the tasks assigned by the Deku Tree; and until he was criticized directly by the forest guardian himself, Tiberius would continue to act in such a manner, regardless of what the others thought.

"Saria! Wait for me!" He called when he noticed that he had drifted far behind her.

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Saria listened as Link played several notes on his ocarina. She smiled sweetly; he may not be what she would call 'good' just yet, but he was making rapid progress. He still struggled with positioning his fingers to make the proper notes on the ocarina, and on occasion he failed to keep up with the tempo, but he was determined, which was a good sign. It meant Link would not give up, even when faced with 'impossible' odds stacked against him.

She also smiled at the tune he played on the ocarina. Beneath all the ill-timed fingerings, and his faltering on certain notes, Saria heard a lively, spritely tune bubbling merrily. He had told her once that he thought her music made the forest come to life; but she thought that it was really her brother who had accomplished that phenomena: the music sounded alive, and playful, quick, and yet in no rush at the same time.

He finished, and brought the ocarina away from his lips, smiling at her.

"Well?" He asked as she applauded politely.

"That was really good!" She said encouragingly, resting her hands on her lap.

"But?" Link knew he wasn't anywhere near competent yet; he needed criticism in order to improve.

"When you want to play an 'A' note, position your fingers like this; not this," Saria demonstrated the proper technique on her own ocarina, while Link imitated her finger positions. He blew into it, hearing the sound of the note; he switched to 'C', and then 'D', comparing them to the 'A'.

"Also," Saria continued, "the trick with music isn't playing what you know rapidly; it's supposed to sound good all the way through: uniform, harmonious, flowing. You don't want to play quickly, and then be forced to halt suddenly because you don't know the fingerings. Even when you're struggling, music should still sound as though it's still flowing together nicely. If you do that, you're a master!"

She giggled as he continued to play notes, and ignore her advice. He could be so focused at times…she'd just tell him again if he really wasn't paying attention. She didn't mind.

She didn't mind at all.

_He's my baby brother, after all, _she thought, _it's my responsibility as the older sister to teach him._

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Mido looked at the spectacle before him in wide-eyed shock. Saria was with him; she was with that strange half-person. She was teaching him how to play music! Didn't she see what she was doing!? Didn't she see that she was putting herself in danger!?

He tightened his grip on the tree trunk behind which he stood.

How could she be so careless!?

Who knew what their little brother was capable of, really? He had to get her out of there! He had to protect her, and Tiberius, from the mysterious aberration before them. They didn't know what they were risking; but Mido did, and that was why he had to get them away from Link. He was trying to protect them from themselves; Saria was too nice for her own good sometimes.

He took a deep, steadying breath, and stepped out from behind the tree.

"Saria!" He called, approaching his brother and sister with an air of confidence. Link's expression soured at the presence of his older brother. Why did Mido have to show up, just when he was beginning to make _real _progress in his lessons?

"I need you to help Melanie, and Sadie with preparations for lunch this afternoon," Mido continued, ignoring the angry glare his brother was giving him.

"O…okay," Saria said softly, as she stood.

"Link, we'll continue some other time," she said, smoothing out the wrinkles in her skirt.

Link looked at her dejectedly.

"Okay," he mumbled, looking at the ground between his feet, his ocarina now held limply in his hands.

Saria giggled at the sight, and kissed him lightly, affectionately on the cheek; even though she was his sister, Link still blushed slightly. She had never done that before; now she had, and in front of Mido no less!

Mido snorted, and smirked at Link's discomfort.

"Don't forget to keep practicing!" Saria whispered excitedly in Link's ear, before she hurried off to perform the task Mido had asked of her. When she had gone, Mido once again turned to face his little brother.

"Don't worry. I didn't forget about you; I've thought of something special, just for you!" Mido said jovially.

Link appeared sullen. He didn't like the sound of that.


	7. Discipline

Chapter 7

Discipline

Link and Mido sat next to each other, heads down, neither daring to look at the other. Both were covered with welts and bruises from head to toe; in Link's case, there was also a little blood, which trickled from the corner of his mouth. The pair of brothers knelt before the Deku Tree, not even daring to speak.

_I seem to remember telling you – both of you! – that I did not want to see you before me for this kind of behavior again, _he said angrily.

Link and Mido both cringed at the memories, but said nothing.

_Am I wrong? _The Deku Tree demanded of his sons.

"No, Father," they answered in unison.

_I thought as much. Now tell me what happened, _the Deku Tree commanded.

"Link started it, Father!" Mido accused, and pointed at his younger brother, angrily jabbing his finger at him.

"I did not!" His younger brother protested, getting to his feet, and shouting with just as much fervor.

"I weeded the vegetable gardens, just like Mido asked, and when I finished, I came to see you! But Mido wouldn't let me!" Link explained.

"Only because I told him there were other things that we needed done first," Mido countered angrily.

"Oh!? And what things were they again, big brother? To bring back water from the stream, and gather berries from the forest, right?"

Mido sniffed.

"I fail to see the problem," he sneered.

"There were ten empty jars for water, Mido! And they weren't small either; they were big! And foraging for berries!? Mido, you're supposed to send out a whole team of gatherers, not just one person; you know that!"

"You were the only one available at the time!" Mido shouted.

"That's right! Lie, Mido! You've always had a talent for it!"

At this point, Mido and Link's faces were mere inches from each other, as each attempted to "out-shout" the other. A root sprang up between them, causing them to fall back in surprise.

_THAT'S ENOUGH! _The Deku Tree bellowed.

Both of them fell silent and looked away, and taking their previous positions.

_Goddesses of Hyrule! _The Deku Tree said in exasperation. _Between the two of you, you manage to cause more trouble than any of you other brothers and sisters. Your father grows weary of your continuous bickering._

Link and Mido said nothing; both wore sullen expressions as they looked at the ground.

_You sorely try my patience! I want you to apologize for what you have done, _the Deku Tree said sternly.

"I'm sorry, Father," the brothers said, once again in unison.

_Not me, _the Deku Tree corrected, _To each other._

Link and Mido both looked mutinous.

_Apologize to him? I didn't do anything wrong, _Link protested silently.

_Me!? Link's not even a proper Kokiri! Why do I have to apologize? _Mido asked himself bitterly.

Neither made a move, except to look in the opposite direction of the other, in stubborn defiance of their father's wishes; each was too proud to make peace with the other.

_I will settle, in the short term, for a lack of open hostility, _the Deku Tree said. _You are brothers, and it is wrong to hate each other so._

"Fine," Link muttered, extending his hand towards Mido. Mido accepted it, after some hesitation.

"Alright," Mido muttered just as quietly.

Inwardly, the Deku Tree groaned. To anyone else, it might appear that the clasping of their hands had meant that the brothers were at peace; to him, it appeared as if they were trying to crush each other's fingers.

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_As further punishment, you will both forgo dinner, and clean out the storehouse in preparation for winter, _their father had told them before he sent them away.

So now, here they were, the two most antagonistic brothers in the Kokiri tribe, forced to clean a storehouse together. With only a single torch, and a hostile quiet between them as they attempted to make space for the winter supplies that would be placed here.

Each was angry with the other, and wished nothing but bad luck to befall the other.

_If he had just let me by…_

_If he had just done what I'd told him…_

…_none of this would have happened, _each thought.

Link pushed a crate towards the back of the room, as Mido inspected several blankets, checking them for holes.

"This is stupid," Mido complained as he flung one of them back into its crate.

"It…doesn't…matter…if…it's…stupid…or not…Father…wants…us…to...do…it," Link grunted as he pushed a second crate to the back. He leaned against it, after he'd managed to push it to the back with its companion, and caught his breath. What was in the crates that made them so heavy? He sighed wearily, and wiped the sweat that beaded on his forehead.

"Well I'm not doing it anymore! You can finish it, if you're so desperate for Father's approval!" Mido snapped, and turned to leave. He hadn't even made it halfway to the door when he felt a hand close on his shoulder. Mido turned.

"You can't leave!" Link began angrily, "Father asked both of us to do it, Mido! That means we finish it together!"

"Then I'll be back in time to help you finish this place up!" Mido said with a laugh.

Link was not amused; he shoved Mido backwards, roughly, causing his older brother to trip, and fall.

"Hey!" Mido protested as he fell to the ground. Ophelia flew out from under her partner's hat, rushing to his aid…only to become trapped in a jar, as Link closed the lid. He gently set it on the ground, and stood over his older brother, towering above him. Mido trembled slightly, as a bead of sweat rolled down his face.

"You're the boss of the Kokiri," Link growled with his hands on his hips. "You set the example," he continued, "if the others see you doing whatever you want, they'll act that way too! Father asked – no! – he _told_ you to clean the storehouse with me! You don't get to choose when the job is over! It's over when it's over, and you have to stay here until then!"

Mido said nothing, he just glared at his little brother.

"Who are you, to think you can talk to me like that?" He demanded quietly.

"Your little brother," Link answered.

Mido gasped softly, and his eyes widened in shock; clearly he hadn't been expecting that answer. Link turned away, and continued to examine the contents of the crates, seeing what was worth keeping, and what was worth throwing away. Mido heard a sniff, and saw a motion that looked suspiciously as though Link were wiping his eyes. Mido got to his feet, and walked over to Link, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I'm sorry," the leader of the Kokiri muttered, not looking at his little brother, and trying to ignore the heat in his cheeks. Link looked up at him; sure enough, there were tears in his eyelashes.

"I've treated you very badly," Mido continued hesitantly. He cleared his throat before continuing once more.

"I've always been suspicious of you," he said, "why, I don't know; but I was. And because of that, I've treated you poorly ever since we first met. I haven't been a good brother to you, and for that…I'm sorry."

Link's bottom lip quivered slightly. He didn't know what to say.

Mido extended his hand shyly. Link looked down at it.

"Brothers?" Mido asked softly.

"Brothers!" Link cried as he embraced Mido. Mido felt a wetness on his neck; he tried to ignore it, and returned his brother's embrace.

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Melanie smiled in the secret of her hiding place, and watched as her brothers finally made peace with one another. Tiffany, her fairy landed gently on her shoulder.

"Aw, that's so sweet!" The little fairy squealed in delight.

Melanie nodded in agreement.

"It's about time," she agreed. She wouldn't tell anyone though; it would be a severe blow to Mido's pride if word ever got out that he'd been hugging his little brother. He'd make everyone's lives miserable for the rest of the time he was boss of the Kokiri…

But it was a sweet thing to watch, nonetheless…


	8. Brothers, Sisters, Rivals, Friends

**Author's Note: I didn't want Mido to remain the same obnoxious twit we all know from the game. It's alright when the game's engine requires you to obtain a certain item before advancing, but there's so much potential when writing a story, and I didn't want to waste another opportunity to further explore his character. His and Link's relationship will be altered, and I hope you approve. If not…oh well.**

Chapter 8

Brothers, Sisters, Rivals, Friends

From that day onward, Link and Mido behaved as brothers ought. There were days where they fought, sometimes with more than words, and there were also days where they played mischievous pranks on one another, some more cruel than others. But on the whole, their behavior towards one another was much improved from what it had been only a few years earlier.

The other Kokiri noticed. In truth, many were happy with the change; it felt as if all were right with the forest once again, and they could smile freely once more. They allowed Link to join them in their games, and their tasks freely, no longer ostracizing him, but accepting him as one of their own, without the fear of Mido's wrath looming over their heads.

By the time he neared ten years of age, Link had long forgotten his fear of being alone in the forest. His brothers and sisters were with him wherever he went; they never left his side, staying with him for however long they could, letting him know that he didn't need to fight for his right to be among them; he was family, and that was all that mattered.

In his heart, the Deku Tree was glad for his son; at long last, Link had found his place amongst his brothers and sisters. No one shunned him, hated him, or feared him; he was accepted as one of the flock, Mido had seen to that.

The ancient spirit of the forest was also pleased with his eldest son for finally doing what he knew to be right; as the eldest brother, it had been Mido's responsibility to look after his other siblings. For nine years, he had neglected that duty by shunning the youngest member of his family; and now, the Deku Tree proudly watched as Mido corrected that mistake, and became the brother his father desired him to be.

_Well done, my son, _the Deku Tree thought warmly, _well done._

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Link stood rigid with Hiro, Kili, Malko, Melanie, and Saria; the six of them formed a straight line, as Mido stood in front of them.

"The rules are simple," Mido began, hands planted on his hips. He jerked his thumb over his shoulder, to a spot more than two hundred feet away, where Melanie's twin sister, Ana, stood with her fairy companion, Ariel.

"First one to make it down to Ana and back wins," Mido explained. The others smiled, as they took their places; this should be easy enough. Mido stepped aside.

"Oh," he added, as if struck by sudden inspiration, "and your fairy crossing the line doesn't count! _You _have to make it passed the line!" Groans ensued, even from Saria; that meant it would be that much harder!

"Runners! Take your positions!" Mido shouted with his arms raised high. The six contestants assumed a crouched position, waiting, as the tension mounted.

"Set!"

Link exhaled, and inhaled softly, readying himself.

"GO!"

Like rabbits being chased by a pack of wolves, the six children rushed forward, sprinting as hard as they could. Melanie led the pack, with Kili, and Malko tied for second, Hiro in third, Link in fourth, and Saria trailed behind. And all the while, the other Kokiri, and their fairy companions shouted words of encouragement from the sidelines.

After fifty feet, Malko sank back into third, and then fourth as he began to lose his first wind. Hiro was immediately on his heels, passed his brother, and pressed onward. Saria almost felt sorry for him, as she watched from her position; after another fifteen feet, Malko halted, spent, panting laboriously, and looking slightly green.

Kili clutched at a stitch in his side, desperately pushing himself to catch up with Melanie. He wasn't going to lose to a girl, no matter who she was! He tripped and fell to the ground; his other siblings pushed past him, and he resigned himself to defeat grudgingly. When you fell in a race, he reasoned, you were done.

"Come on!" He encouraged the others, clapping his hands, and shouting with excitement.

Saria and Link were neck and neck now, and catching up to Hiro, and Melanie, who were likewise tied as leaders of the pack. By the time they reached the halfway point, all four of them were dead even, with Saria showing signs of trying to break ahead.

"Come on! Saria! Come on! You can do it!" Tiberius squeaked into her ear, as he fluttered close behind her.

"Melanie! Don't let the others beat you!" Isis, her fairy shouted competitively.

"Hiro! Link's catching up! If you're not careful, he'll pass you!" Remus advised.

As if on cue, the youngest Kokiri put on an extra burst of speed, and broke away from the pack. The other three looked on in surprise; did that really just happen? When had their youngest brother become so fast?

"No you don't!" Melanie huffed, savagely, and lengthened her strides, leaving Saria and Hiro behind.

"That's…just…not…fair," Hiro moaned pitiably. He stopped, put his hands on his knees, and gasped for air. He was done.

"Don't stop!" Tiberius pleaded with Saria; she looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Please…" He begged. She gave him a small smile, breathing hard.

_Alright, _she thought. She wouldn't stop; she'd keep going. The finish line was dead ahead…she was nearly there…she could make it.

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Melanie passed him. Link panted hard; he'd used nearly all his remaining energy when he'd tried to break away from the others. He was too tired now; he wouldn't be able to do it again. Momentum was all that was carrying him now…it would have to be enough.

He passed the finish line, his breathing ragged, as he collapsed to his knees. Saria wasn't far behind him, and she too, sank to her knees when the race was finished.

"That was a good race," Melanie panted amidst the cheers of the others. Link and Saria simply looked at her and nodded in agreement, too winded to speak.

"Well done, everyone! And special congratulations to Melanie for making first place!" Ophelia called above the din. The children of the forest cheered happily.

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She watched as the children played; nervous, timid, and yet eager, and hopeful to make friends. She floated several centimeters above a tree branch, torn in two by her conflicting desires for safety, and friendship. She descended onto the tree branch and rested a hand on the rough bark, sighing in disappointment. There was not a single child without a companion already; what chance did she have of making any friends among them?

They would be inviting enough, and charming, and treat her warmly; but ultimately, she would still be an outsider, a visitor…

An invader. And like any invader, she would not be allowed to remain for very long; she would eventually be forced to leave. Until the guardian of the forest provided her with a partner of her own.

The little fairy sighed again, and closed her eyes against the sting developing behind her eyes. She fluttered her wings briefly, lifting herself off the tree branch, and floating off into the vast depths of forest.

She was alone.

All she wanted was a friend.


	9. Dream

Chapter 9

Dream

_The cold rain chilled him to the bone. Lightning arched across the sky, and thunder roared in his ears, deafening him, drowning out all noise. He ran, not knowing where he was going, not knowing what awaited him, but knowing that he…just…had…to get _there_! A small light hovered before his eyes, leading him on in the darkness; a fairy, he realized._

"_Hurry!" The fairy squeaked at him over her shoulder. The look of fright in her eyes was palpable in the air about her tiny frame. She fluttered her wings faster, speeding onward. Link ran after her, desperately trying to keep up._

Who would have thought that keeping up with a fairy would be this hard, _he wondered._

_The downpour seemed to grow stronger, rain falling in gray sheets, making it impossible to see more than a few inches before him. Great droplets of water fell upon him, some of them painfully, a phenomenon he would never have thought previously possible._

"_Hurry!" The little fairy called again, the desperation increasing in her voice. "If we don't, she'll be in grave danger!"_

I'm trying, _Link thought, sparing no energy to talk. If getting "there" was so important, his lungs would need all the oxygen they could get…_

_His foot fell into empty space as he came to the edge of the world, and plummeted into the abyss. Darkness enveloped him, wrapping him in a suffocating embrace; he screamed and couldn't hear his own voice over the roar of thunder._

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_When he next opened his eyes, he was standing before a strange place with white walls of stone. As before, rain poured down heavily about him, and once again, he heard nothing except for the falling of rain, and the roar of thunder. The whole scene before him was vaguely familiar, as if from some half forgotten memory that he could not place. He shook his head; he had never seen such a place before in his life, so why did it feel so familiar to him?_

"_We made it!" The little fairy sighed, suddenly appearing beside him. "I hope we're not too late!" She added fearfully._

_Link could only swallow, and nod in agreement; his mouth had gone dry. Why was he so afraid?_

_Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the field about him for a brief instant, and thunder rumbled across the night sky. Link's eyes darted about in their sockets fearfully, looking for any possible dangers that lurked in the dark. Before him, the white building lowered a strange door to the ground, as metal ropes clanked loudly in the night._

_Lightning flashed again, as a strange creature cried out in the night. A strange clattering beat echoed on stone, as a pale, white, four legged creature approached from the darkness. Link quickly jumped out of the way, as it shot past; as he sat up once again, and looked at the creature once more, he saw a pair of riders upon its back. One was a woman in her early to mid thirties, with her silver hair drawn back in a tight braid, and eyes that were as red as blood; the other was a young girl, no older than Link, with golden hair, and blue eyes just like his._

_It was the girl who looked back at him, and in her eyes Link saw a fear unmatched by any he had ever experienced before. She looked positively terrified; she cried out something to him, but what it was Link did not hear. It was also at that moment that he noticed her pointing at something behind him…_

_He slowly turned, filled with trepidation…_

_A horror of horrors met him; this was the thing nightmares were made of. Standing behind him was another four legged creature, like the first, except that it was jet black, the color of coal, or soot; and upon its back was a man clad entirely in black from head to toe. He smiled at the look of fear on Link's face. He lunged downward, making to grab Link, as the boy screamed in terror…_

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"Link? Link! Wake up!"

Link felt someone shaking his shoulder urgently, rousing him from sleep. His eyes snapped open; his breathing was hard, and labored. Both Saria's and Mido's faces swam into view, as his eyes adjusted to the morning light that flooded his room.

"Praise Father, you're alright," Mido cried out.

Saria nodded.

"We heard you screaming, and thought it would be best to check on you," she said.

Link groaned as he sat up in bed, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"That must have been some nightmare you were having," Mido observed.

Link looked at him, confused.

"You were thrashing about, tossing and turning, not just screaming," Mido clarified, "Gave Saria and me quite a fright!"

"Sorry about that," Link mumbled apologetically.

"Don't worry about it," Saria said, with a wave of her hand, "What's more important is that you're alright. Do you want to talk about it?"

Link shook his head.

"It was just a dream," he said. In truth, he could barely remember it; already it was trickling away, like water from in between his fingers.

His brother and sister didn't appear convinced, but said nothing more on the matter.

"Well, if you're sure you're alright," Saria mumbled.

Mido simply gazed down at his brother, in a calculating manner.

"Is breakfast ready?" Link asked to change the subject. Mido and Saria looked at him in disbelief.

"What? I'm hungry," Link explained as he met their incredulous stares. As if to belabor the point, his stomach made a loud, audible growl. Mido and Saria looked down at his abdomen.

Saria shook her head, sighed, and smiled.

"He's fine," she observed, placing her hands on her hips.

"No doubt about it now," Mido agreed, a grin also on his face. He shook his head in relief.

"Well?" Link demanded.

"Give it a little while longer, and Melanie and Hiro will have…something ready," Mido answered, cringing slightly. If it had been Melanie, he needn't have concerned himself, but Hiro…Hiro wasn't known for his cooking.

Link's stomach growled again, louder this time.

"Sounds like you're not too picky," Saria observed dryly.

Link gave her a half-shrug. "I guess not," he agreed. He rose from the bed, and headed for the door. Mido put a restraining hand on his brother's shoulder. Link, paused, looked at him, confused.

"Before you go outside, you may want to change your pants first," he suggested.

_My pants? _Link wondered. Why? What was wrong with them? He looked down.

He blushed scarlet. There was a dark stain covering the area from between his legs to his groin. He'd…he'd…

"I wet the bed?" He moaned both in humiliation and horror. He looked up to Saria and Mido once more. Neither of his siblings was smiling; instead, their expressions were sympathetic, and kind, filled with understanding.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Saria said softly.

"You had a bad dream," Mido added helpfully, "It happens."

Link said nothing; he just looked down, thoroughly embarrassed. He whimpered quietly.

"Don't start crying! Please," Mido begged.

"It was an accident," Saria said in a soothing tone, "Just get changed. We'll see about breakfast."

Without another word, she and Mido left the room, so as to give Link his privacy. He reached into the closet by his bedside, and pulled out a clean pair of pants. He kicked off his boots, and undid his belt; as his pants fell about his ankles, he kicked them to the side, and pulled on the new ones, fastening his belt tightly about his waist as he did so.

He kicked the sullied ones underneath his bed, and did the same with the sheets. He'd clean them later, he decided; right now, breakfast was more important. He exited the door, and drew the curtain across it. As he left, he had the distinct feeling that he was being watched, but from where, he was not sure…

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She watched him silently from her vantage point on the window sill, as he joined the others, and fluttered her tiny wings anxiously.

_He doesn't have a partner yet, _she thought to herself as she fluttered her wings again. Happiness came over her as she realized that _she _could be that partner! But she remained where she was, paralyzed by fear. Meeting people had never been a skill she was particularly good with; new people made her nervous, anxious. She always felt as if her every move was being scrutinized, as if she were being judged somehow.

He looked up in her direction, as if he sensed her eyes on the back of his head. She quickly ducked behind the window curtain, breathing rapidly in panicked fright. Had he seen her? Had he, in fact, known she was there the entire time? She blushed, her soft glow growing brighter at the thought of being caught spying. Carefully, she edged out into the open once more, and peeked out at the Kokiri boy without a fairy.

She smiled shyly at the thought of being his partner. It was only a dream; only a fantasy.

_He'd never want a partner like you, _a small voice hissed cruelly in the back of her mind.

_You're too small, too timid, too shy, _the voice continued, _you're easily frightened and your magic is mediocre at best. What could he possibly want with a partner like you? You'd only be a burden…_

_He'd be better off alone._

But she would have a friend; was that so wrong? Was her desire not to be alone really so selfish? That was all she wanted…to have someone – _anyone _– whom she could call a friend.

She flew off in disappointment, deciding that the voice was right after all, that she would be a burden, that her desire for happiness was selfish, and ultimately, unimportant. That her feelings didn't matter, that she wasn't worthy of being partnered with a Kokiri, no matter how kind her partner might prove to be…

She was just a selfish little fairy, with a selfish little dream, and not worthy of any notice.

She fled into the depths of the forest, not even aware that her presence had _not_ gone unnoticed…

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The Deku Tree felt the presence of the little one as she departed the village; she had felt so sad, so angry with herself. It broke the ancient spirit's heart, to hear her thoughts, and her nagging suspicions and self-doubts.

_There is nothing wrong with what you desire, little one, _he thought quietly, _and I will provide for your need in due time, if I can. _The ancient spirit's thoughts turned to his youngest son, and whether or not Link would make a good partner. He'd never tried the process with a human before; would it succeed? Could a human become a partner to a fairy the way a true Kokiri could? Link certainly had the heart; he was kind, gentle, caring, and, above all else, compassionate. He would be _just _what this little one needed; he would help her believe in herself, and she would do the same for him.

They were a perfect match for one another…the question was: would it work? That was what it came down to, and for that the Deku Tree had no answer. For now, at least, he would stay his hand; he would watch, he would wait, and when the time came, he would make his final decision.


	10. War-bringer

**Author's Note: Well, here he is! Nintendo's most infamous villain since Bowser of Mario fame! You love him! You hate him! Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, may I present to you the Master of Chaos, the Lord of Darkness, Bearer of the Triforce of Power, and eternal foe of the Hero we all know and love: Ganondorf, the War-bringer! **

**As a side note: While his "story" may seem sympathetic, please remember that this is Ganondorf we're talking about. I leave it up to you to judge how much of his story is actually true.**

Chapter 10

War-bringer

The tall trees loomed high overhead, looking down upon the lone man who strode between their sturdy trunks. He was tall, nearing seven feet in height, heavily muscled, with hair like fire, and brown eyes that hid a restless spirit behind them. He had clad himself in steel mail and armor, painted black, and trimmed with gold around the edges, and upon his brow was a strange crown with a garnet affixed to the center.

He was a man accustomed to hotter climates, as evidenced by his brown skin, and his obvious discomfort in the cool air of the forest. Such a place didn't agree with him. He was seeking something, and once he found what he desired, he would depart, never to return…

So the spirits of the forest paid him little heed…did not alert their ancient protector of the strange interloper. He was a peculiarity…an oddity, but not a danger; not a threat. They did not sense the greed in his heart; nor did they feel the malice he bore towards the other nations of the Alliance from the war decades ago; they did not know that he had long ago sworn revenge for the deaths of his mother and father, his brother and sisters, and their village.

For they had not heard of Ganondorf the War-bringer, the slayer of one thousand men; such names were of little consequence to those who did not feel the passage of time, and who saw little of the world outside the forest. They watched him in curiosity, but not alarm, as the man pressed deeper into the forest, searching for its heart…

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Ganondorf involuntarily shivered as the cool, damp air of the forest stroked the back of his neck. He preferred the warm sands of the Gerudo desert to this place of green, and mist, and muck, and slime. Owls hooted softly from holes in the trees; mice, rabbits, and foxes scurried about in the underbrush; crickets chirped noisily from patches of tall grass. Occasionally, Ganondorf thought he saw tiny pinpricks of light in the distance, but whenever he turned to look directly at them, he would see nothing more than dripping, wet masses of green.

_This place is cursed, _he thought to himself as he pinched the bridge of his nose. It was a place that ensnared the minds of those who were not careful. And he must keep his mind, he reminded himself, as he pressed onward; he must remember why he was here.

Legends spoke of an ancient power concealed in the heart of the forest, a power that was said to have come from the gods themselves; power to achieve great – no, extraordinary – things! Things that would make ordinary men tremble in their boots!

But Ganondorf was not ordinary; no, he was _extraordinary _as well! And powerful too, gifted in the ways of the arcane arts, an acolyte of the witches of Twinrova, a mysterious cult that shared a common ancestry with his own people, the Gerudo. They had taught him spells so great and terrible, that even he dared not use them, for fear of forfeiting his soul to the great beyond.

And it was this man who desired the power that was kept hidden in the deepest regions of the forest; for it was a power that would help him avenge his fallen clan against the murderous Alliance of Hyrule, who had destroyed them in the war more than twenty years ago. Such an injustice could not go unpunished; they would answer for what they had done! They had raised their swords against peaceful nomads in the name of their gods, and had butchered the "infidels"!

Ganondorf's fist tightened in rage as he recalled the night he had watched the knights of Hyrule slaughter his people. They had spared no one; men, women, children, it did not matter…_all _had been put to death. And he had sworn, that night, as he watched, that he would make these men pay…_and pay dearly _for what they had taken from him!

And there was no price he was unwilling to pay…no sacrifice he would not make in pursuit of that goal.

_Soon, you shall be avenged, _he promised as the faces of his tribesmen swam before him, _then you may rest in peace…_

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A strange sight greeted him, as the trees parted, and gave way to the moonlight that filled the night sky: a little village, hidden in the mist, made from hollowed out tree logs, and stumps, overlooked by the tall cliff upon which he stood. A dirt path led down into it, through it, and exited out the southern end into the wilds that lay beyond. He looked about; there was not a soul in sight.

_Everyone must be asleep, _he reasoned. What were they, children, to leave their perimeter unguarded as they had? Only fools were so naïve when it came to their own protection! He rolled his eyes in disgust as he descended down the path, and entered the village.

His entrance did not trigger an alarm of any kind; no guard ran up to him to prevent him from going any further, demanding to know his business here, who he was, and where he had come from.

It was pathetic, really, how naïve these people revealed themselves to be…they were far too trusting. And trust was what got you killed. Give someone too much trust, and they would stab you in the back the moment you dropped your guard. It was why Ganondorf had never wasted time making friends in his travels; friends were only a burden…a waste of effort.

All that mattered was obtaining enough power to achieve his goal…and he would never stop until he had it.

He saw a small figure step out from one of the log houses, and disappear behind it. For a few moments, there was silence, and then a sigh of relief, as the boy voided his bladder into the grass behind the house. Ganondorf snorted in contempt, as an ironic smile spread across his lips; he shook his head, and continued to press through the village.

He froze as a twig snapped beneath his steel boot, echoing softly throughout the village. He looked back over his shoulder to see a young boy standing behind him, no more than eleven years of age, with a head of golden hair, and eyes the colors of sapphires, wearing a frown on his face, and his brow wrinkled in confusion. The face was vaguely familiar; where had he seen it before?

The boy spoke first.

"You're big," he observed, crossing his arms across his chest.

Ganondorf blinked in surprise; that was hardly the reaction he had been expecting.

The boy nodded to himself thoughtfully, as if pondering a great mystery.

"You're too big," the boy continued, "definitely too big to be Kokiri. What are you, mister? Are you one of the Stalfos that Father is always telling us about? I've never seen one up close, but I have imagined what they look like. They say that anyone who's not a Kokiri becomes a Stalfos; so are you one of them?"

Ganondorf made no answer; he clenched his jaw in irritation, as the boy continued to ramble on and on about all kinds of nonsense: things his father had taught him, "guardian fairies" and his lack of one, his fondness for his brothers and sisters, until Ganondorf had finally had enough.

"Be quiet!" He snapped irritably, and immediately the boy fell silent, clamping his jaw tightly shut.

"Do you have a name, boy?" The War-bringer demanded.

"Link," the boy answered softly, with a frightened look in his eyes.

"Link," Ganondorf whispered softly. He smiled politely down at the boy now.

"Link…would you…like to see a magic trick?" Ganondorf asked quietly, as he bent down in front of the boy.

"Magic? What's that?" The boy asked, as he scratched the back of his head. Ganondorf's smile widened; he had aroused the boy's curiosity. The next part would be easy.

"It means I have special powers," Ganondorf explained, filling his voice with a touch of wonder; the result was what he expected: the boy's eyes widened in both surprise and delight, and in them, the War-bringer saw a clear desire to know more.

"Tell me," Link whispered softly.

"It would be far easier to _show _you," Ganondorf offered, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

Link stared at him, wide-eyed.

"Would you like to see?" Ganondorf asked again.

Link nodded vigorously.

Ganondorf's smile returned. He held up his right index finger.

"Very well then," he said, and a little ball of light appeared, hovering just above his finger tip. Link gasped in surprise as he stared at the white glowing orb; he reached out towards it hesitantly. Ganondorf stopped him, and shook his head.

"Magic is dangerous, if you don't know what you're doing," he warned.

Link's expression wilted slightly.

"But you can still look," the big man told the little boy before him. The young Kokiri stared at the ball of light in fascination, and wonder.

_How did he make it appear? Just like that? _Link wondered to himself. He also wondered if he'd be able to do something like that if he practiced enough. "Magic", he decided, was amazing.

He covered his mouth with the back of his hand as he yawned widely. Strange, why did he feel so tired all of a sudden? He yawned again, as his eyelids drooped, and became heavy. His strange new friend continued to smile at him; Link smiled back, even as his sense of fatigue increased.

"_Link," _Ganondorf whispered, _"Can you hear me?"_

Link nodded. "Yes, mister," he mumbled sleepily, "I can hear you."

"_Excellent," _the big man responded happily. _"I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me. Would you do that for me?"_

"Yes."

"_Good. This father of yours. Where might I find him?"_

"Father lives in the grove at the south end of the village. There's a path that will take you straight there," Link answered in a dull monotone.

"_Is the grove very far from your village?"_

Link shook his head. "Only about a mile once you get to the path," he supplied.

"_Is the path guarded?"_

Link nodded once more. "Only during the day, though," he added as an afterthought.

"_Good. Now, Link, I want you to listen to me very carefully."_

"Yes, mister?"

"_I want you to go back to bed…now. I want you to forget that we ever spoke…that we ever saw each other…do you think you can do that for me?"_

"Yes."

"_Good. Now run along; and don't forget: we never spoke, we never met."_

"I understand. Goodnight, mister."

"_Goodnight, Link."_

Link's world faded to darkness.

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Ganondorf found himself alone, in the grove that the boy had spoken of, standing before a mighty tree that was as high as it was tall. Its branches were easily fifty feet in diameter, and its trunk was easily three hundred feet across.

_Why have you come here, mortal?_

Ganondorf looked about the grove in surprise, hunting for the speaker.

_You have trespassed. You have entered my forest, uninvited, and with great evil in your heart. Speak and answer my question: for what purpose have you come here?_

Ganondorf stared at the tree before him; the source of the voice was unmistakable. It came from within the tree itself; the tree was alive, like himself, possessing an intellect, and a will; it was a guardian of the forest, a nature spirit.

"I am seeking a great power, which legends say lies deep in the heart of the forest," Ganondorf answered truthfully.

_And what would you do with such power? _The spirit demanded.

"I would use it to take revenge on those who destroyed my people long ago! I would bury them underneath a mountain of their own dead, just as they did to my tribe!" The Gerudo bellowed furiously, losing composure.

_I see._

"Do you know where I can acquire such power, ancient one?"

_I do._

"Will you tell me where it lies, that I might avenge my fallen brothers?"

_No._

Ganondorf seethed in rage. He had come too far to be thwarted now by an oversized hedge!

"I see," Ganondorf echoed. "And if I were to…demand…that you tell me where this power lies?" He asked.

_Then I would tell you that you are a very foolish mortal, to _demand _anything of a god, _the spirit responded immediately, as if it had already anticipated such a question well in advance. Ganondorf drew a knife from the belt at his waist, and brought it across his open palm.

"Then it seems I have no choice," he responded as red flowed from the open wound. He placed his hand on the ground, palm facing downward, and began to chant in a deep, ominous voice. The grass that lay around his hand began to wither and die, crumbling to dust.

The death and decay expanded away from him, soon reaching out in a ring that was ten feet, and then twenty feet in diameter, and then finally, it expanded to the tree itself, and began its foul work upon the guardian of the forest. Fungus sprung up upon the bark, and the bark itself turned brittle, and weak as the foul necromancy took hold upon the grove. The Deku Tree felt his vessel weaken greatly.

_Such a powerful spell, _he observed of the black magic. To think that its source was a human; he could scarcely believe what he was experiencing! Ganondorf ceased chanting, and stood up, grinning in triumph.

"Do you feel in a more divulgatory now, ancient one?" He asked, curling his upper lip in a sneer.

_You think that death will change my mind, mortal? _The Deku Tree inquired in disbelief._ You are a fool! Death is not the same thing for me that it is for you…I do not fear it as you mortals do…_

Ganondorf growled in frustration.

_The secret of the Seal will die with me…you will never know where it is hidden…nor shall you find the others…_

"Others?" Ganondorf asked softly. So then the other legends were true as well; there were other power sources in the world that could be found! Could be exploited by him in his quest for revenge; and no doubt, like this one, they would be protected by guardians who would need to be…persuaded…to divulge their whereabouts.

The Deku Tree felt his core freeze; had he really just betrayed the others to this insane mortal, albeit unintentionally? Were they now in danger because of him? And he no longer had the power to detain this human within his domain; he was powerless to protect the others from his own folly!

"Interesting," the human observed, and began to walk away.

"There are others," he observed, "Other 'Seals' that I must acquire if I am to obtain enough power to exact my revenge on the Alliance. I didn't know that before; how very interesting…" He looked to the great tree once more, and bowed low before it.

"Thank you for enlightening me," he said politely. "I see that trying to reason with you would be a waste of my valuable time, and so, I shall depart for the time being. I will return after I have collected the other 'Seals' you spoke of. By then, you should be feeling nice and decrepit, and willing to give me that which I desire…" He smiled.

"Until we meet again," he called as he departed the grove.

_NO! _The Deku Tree desperately tried to stop the human from leaving, but ultimately, his strength failed him as the man exited the grove, and disappeared into the night.


	11. Partner

**Author's Note: So last chapter, I introduced you to Ganondorf, and now, in this chapter I'm introducing you to Link's guardian fairy, Navi. That's right! Link finally gets his guardian fairy! I think that this interpretation is a little different from most. I was inspired to portray her as I have because of something that occurs in the game's engine as you play: after a certain amount of time spent floating around Link, Navi eventually retreats into the main character's green cap; I took that as a part of Navi's actual personality, and developed her into this shy, introverted little fairy whom you've been reading about for the past several chapters. Anyway, I hope you like her; enjoy!**

Chapter Eleven

Partner

_Come out, little one, _the Deku Tree called softly. There was no response to the ancient spirit's summons. He tried again.

_It's alright, _he whispered reassuringly. _You are safe now._

From a bush at the far end of the grove, there came a soft glow of light, and a soft rustle, as a little fairy poked her head out from between the leaves.

"G-Great Deku Tree?" She stammered quietly, not daring to remove herself from her hiding place. She had never been in the presence of the guardian of the forest before, and she was just as frightened of him as she had been of the armored man who had departed only moments earlier.

_Do not fear, _he said gently, _I will not hurt you_

Cautiously, the fairy departed from her place in the bush, and hovered before the great spirit of the forest. She looked down at the ground timidly, hardly daring to breathe.

_Tell me, little one, what is your name?_

"N-Navi," the little fairy squeaked softly. No one had ever asked her for her name before! Was she in trouble for spying on the Great Deku Tree? Was he going to punish her? She trembled visibly at the thought.

_Navi, I am in need of your aid, _the Deku Tree explained.

Navi looked up at the guardian of the forest in shocked surprise. He needed her? But no one _ever _needed her; she was often ignored, or over looked, even by other fairies. So what did the Deku Tree require her assistance with?

_Go to the village of the Kokiri, my children, _the Deku Tree commanded, _there you will find a boy without a guardian fairy of his own. Bring him here, to me._

"Kokiri Village…boy without a fairy…bring him here," Navi repeated to herself softly, as she flew off to complete her assignment. She would not fail the Great Deku Tree, no matter how small the task might seem!

_Go, Navi! Fly! Fly! _The Deku Tree called after her desperately.

_...I have little time…_

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Link tossed and turned in his sleep, restless, plagued by visions that only he could see…

A flash of lightning…

A white, stone building with a strange wooden door that was lowered with strange metal ropes…

A white beast rushing past into the night…

The roll of thunder…

A fairy…

More lightning…

More thunder…

A black beast and its sinister rider…

A scream…his own scream…!

He tumbled out of bed, falling into a heap on the floor, tangled up in his blanket, and wincing at the pain inflicted from his fall. Groaning, he put his hands to his temples, and sat up. The warm sunlight fell gently on his face; he raised a hand to block it.

_Morning already, _he wondered. But it only felt as if he had gone to sleep only a few minutes ago. He kicked his blanket off, and unraveled it from the tangled mess that it had become, and set it neatly on his bed once more.

_Time to start the day, _he thought, as he stifled a small yawn.

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Navi flew quickly, as fast as her little wings would carry her, searching throughout the village, both high and low, hoping to find the fairy-less boy. The Deku Tree had said that it was urgent, that he needed the boy _now_; that he could not afford to wait! And yet, she still couldn't find the object of her search, no matter how hard she tried.

_M-maybe I sh-should try a-asking someone i-if they know where I c-can find him, _she thought nervously to herself. She swallowed hard. That meant she'd have to speak to someone; to someone of her shy, timid disposition it was her worst nightmare! She shook her head. This was for the Deku Tree; she had to do it!

She floated up to one of the forest children. The young girl didn't seem to notice as the fairy approached from behind.

"E-excuse me," Navi whispered softly. Too softly, apparently, because the girl simply got up and walked away, without even acknowledging her. Navi sighed in disappointment; she'd have to try again.

Again! She was going to have to relive the nightmare! Her heart thudded against her tiny ribcage at the very thought.

_There, _she thought as noticed another Kokiri not too far off. He was tending one of their vegetable patches, and seemed like the friendly sort. She drifted towards him.

"Um…h-hello!" She pitched her voice a little higher than last time. But still not enough it seemed, because, as before, she was ignored, and the Kokiri moved off to continue his work.

She sighed as she floated away. Why was this so hard for her? All she needed was a little information, not a long, detailed story! Why was she so afraid of others? She was spun about dizzyingly, as someone walked past.

"Hey!" She shouted angrily, buzzing with indignation. To her surprise, her shout worked; the young girl stopped, and turned towards her. Navi was even more shocked by the girl's appearance: blue eyes, shoulder length green hair held back by a blue headband, green clothes, green shoes…

_She's pretty, _Navi thought to herself.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the girl said, dropping to her knees so that she was level with the little fairy. She smiled kindly.

"I didn't see you there," she explained, "please forgive me!"

_She's nice. I like her, _Navi decided.

"I-it's alright," Navi stammered nervously.

"Is there something I could help you with? You look as though you're lost," the girl observed.

"I'm looking for someone…someone the Great Deku Tree needs to speak with urgently," Navi explained, her voice dropping to a mumble by the time she finished speaking.

"Father needs to speak with someone? Who? I might be able to point you in the right direction," the girl offered helpfully.

Navi fidgeted with her fingers shyly.

"I…I don't know his name," she confessed, feeling foolish, "the Great Deku Tree only told me that he d-didn't have a fairy…"

The girl smiled brightly once more.

"That's my little brother, Link!" She cried excitedly. She pointed off towards the eastern edge of the village.

"Do you see that house over there: the one that looks like a log, with the balcony, and the ladder, and the little windows on the side?" The girl demanded of the little fairy before her. Navi nodded her head vigorously, not daring to speak.

"That's Link's house; he's my baby brother! And he's the only one in the village who's never had a fairy of his own! Oh," she squealed as she looked down at Navi, and covered her mouth.

"He's going to be so happy to meet you!" The girl squeaked in delight, clapping her hands.

_But the Great Deku Tree never said that he was my partner, _Navi thought dejectedly, _He just said to bring the boy to him. _She tried to smile, for the girl's sake, but the corners of her mouth barely twitched.

"Oh! Hurry! Hurry!" The girl begged. "I don't want to miss the look on his face!" She sped off in the direction of "Link's" house. Navi hurried after her.

_I'd better do my best to appear surprised when Link introduces us, _Saria decided. She was so happy for her little brother; he was finally going to have the fairy that he had desired for so long! But she was also aware of a small pang of jealousy that sprang up inside her.

Why, out of all the fairies in the forest, did _Link_ have to get the _cutest _one?

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Link reached into his closet and pulled out a new set of clothes, and tossed them onto his bed. He sighed tiredly. It was _that_ dream, the dream that had been plaguing him for little over a year now, but had become more intense only in the past several months. He shivered at the memory; the cold rain, the thunder, the lightning, the man sitting high on his beast…

He shuddered again. At least he hadn't wet the bed again; that had to count for something! He stretched and pulled of his nightshirt, letting it fall to the ground behind him. There was a gasp from the doorway.

Link turned around, and yelped in surprise, as he reached for his recently discarded nightshirt. Hovering in his doorway was a little fairy, who was covering her eyes, and glowing brightly at the sight before her.

"I-I-I'm s-s-s-so s-s-s-sorry," she stuttered, keeping her hands firmly pressed over her eyes. The poor thing was so flustered, she could barely speak.

Link blushed as well, and tried to ignore it, as he threw his shirt to the ground once more and slipped his new one over his shoulders, and pulled his pants up to his waist.

"It's alright," he said reassuringly, as he straightened out his belt.

"I-I'm Navi," the fairy squeaked, still keeping her eyes covered. Navi lowered her fingers briefly, but quickly raised them again when she saw that Link was still getting dressed.

"Navi? Pleased to meet you! My name's Link," he said, as he sat on the edge of his bed and began to pull on his boots.

"Why are you here," he grunted, as he pulled the first one on, "who's your partner?"

"I don't have one," Navi admitted in a hurt tone. She lowered her hands from her eyes now, and watched him as he tightened the straps on his boot.

"Really?" Link asked, as he pulled the second one on. "You seem nice enough," he observed, causing Navi to gasp once again, "why not?"

Navi looked at him with a pained expression on her face. How couldn't he see it? How couldn't he see what everyone else saw?

"Too shy," she said. _Too small, too timid, and too weak, _she added in bitter silence.

"Any friends?" Link asked politely, a hurt, and pitying expression on his face at her admission.

Navi shook her head as she landed gently on his table top, and sat down, holding her knees close to herself. She looked like she was about to cry.

"No one would want a partner like me," she said bitterly, her voice slightly cracking as she said it.

Anguish welled inside the young Kokiri for the little fairy before him. She was all alone in the world, no friends, no partner…nothing.

_That isn't fair! _He protested silently, as he reached out for her. She fluttered her wings softly.

"I'll be your friend," he whispered. She looked up at him, as if she didn't believe what she was hearing.

"I'll be your friend," he repeated, louder this time. Navi looked at him, wide-eyed, as if he were an answer to prayer.

"And…and I don't have a partner," Link added, "So…so if you wanted…we could…I don't know…we could pretend…"

It was too much for the little fairy. She burst into tears, and flew at him, pressing herself against his chest.

"Yes! Yes! Oh, yes!" She begged, and held tighter to her new friend.

Link smiled and cupped his hands, and brought her up to eye level.

"My own fairy," he said happily.

_My friend, _Navi thought to herself, as she smiled at the young boy before her.


	12. Urgent Matters

Chapter 12

Urgent Matters

"So you're telling me that Father sent you to me?" Link asked the little fairy before him. They were sitting at the table in the middle of his room.

Navi nodded her head quickly.

"He didn't say why," she mumbled, "He only said that it was important. Or…at least, he made it _sound _important." She fidgeted, and rubbed her arm nervously.

Link looked at her, bewildered.

"I'm sorry," she squeaked. She shrank down, as though Link had threatened her with a whip.

"Don't worry about it," Link said, shaking his head, and smiling at her. She looked up at him, as if to say, _Really?_, but remained silent.

Link read the expression on her face perfectly.

"Really," he said reassuringly.

"But," Navi began. She was such a poor partner to confuse him like that!

"No, really, don't worry about it," Link said, smiling again. "I'm the youngest of the Kokiri; it's my job to be the most confused in the village," he said jokingly.

Navi giggled softly at his self-deprecation.

"See?" Link asked as he stood up. Navi flew from her place on the table top, and perched on his shoulder.

"Let's go see what Father thinks is so urgent?" Link suggested as he headed for the door. He pulled back the curtain and stepped into the light.

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As Link stepped out his door, he heard someone call his name.

"Hey! Link!"

He looked down from his balcony to see Saria running towards him, with an excited look upon her face. She waved up at him. Link smiled down at her, and returned her greeting.

"Saria!" He called excitedly, "Give me a second! I'll be right down! There's something I want to show you!" With that said, he took a flying leap down to the ground below, and landed in front of his sister. Grinning widely, he pointed at his shoulder.

"Look at this!" He said happily.

Saria appeared confused.

"What? Your shoulder? What about your shoulder?" She asked.

Link glanced at his shoulder out of the corner of his eye, only to see it vacant. He looked about confused.

"Navi? Where are you?" He called. There was a whimper from underneath his hat; he yanked it off, to reveal a little fairy hiding in the locks of his golden hair.

"It's alright; don't be shy," Link said, soothingly, "This is my sister, Saria. She won't hurt you."

Navi peeked out at Saria, but quickly hid when the girl tried to get a better look.

"I'm sorry," Link said, apologetically, and shrugging his shoulders, "she's just a little shy, that's all. It's nothing personal. Really."

"Oh, but she's so cute!" Saria squealed, clapping her hands. Navi started. Cute? _Her? _She smiled at the compliment; she'd never been called 'cute' before. She peeked out from between Link's bangs once more.

"Hi," she whispered softly.

Saria looked at the little fairy, and smiled sweetly, waving at Link's partner.

"Hello, Navi! I'm Saria! Pleased to meet you!"

"Pleased to meet you, too," Navi mumbled, still avoiding eye contact with the Kokiri girl.

Link cleared his throat. Saria stared at him once again.

"I'm really sorry to cut introductions short, but we're in a hurry," he explained, "Navi told me that Father needs to speak with me about something important."

"Oh, I see," Saria responded, "I'm sorry to have kept you then."

Link shook his head.

"Don't worry about it! I'll let you two become more properly acquainted after I've met with Father," Link promised.

Saria sulked, and her expression became unhappy.

"Oh, alright. But you'd better not forget!" Saria added, threateningly, as Link sped off towards the Deku Tree's grove.

"Don't worry! I won't!" Link called over his shoulder.

"You never fawned over me like that when _I _became your partner," Tiberius observed, as Saria watched her little brother fade into the distance. The young girl turned to look at her guardian fairy in disbelief.

"Tiberius," she cried, "If I didn't know better…I'd say you were jealous!"

Tiberius sputtered. Him? Jealous?

"D-don't be ridiculous!" He stammered, "I'm not jealous! Fairies don't get jealous!" He crossed his arms and looked away.

"You are now! Admit it!" Saria giggled; she'd had no idea Tiberius could be so petty!

The fairy groaned.

"I am not!" He huffed.

"If you want, I could fawn over you from now on," Saria teased.

"As-as if I'd want to be fawned over! I-I'm a boy!" With that, the little fairy flew off without another word. Saria shook her head.

_Clearly jealous._

She hurried after her partner to make sure he stayed out of trouble.

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"I'm sorry brother, but I can't let you pass!" Mido declared. He stood before the path that led to the Deku Tree's grove, barring access to everyone that tried to get past.

"Why not?" Link demanded, upset. If this was about a lack of a fairy…

"P-please, Mr. Mido," Navi pleaded, "th-the Great Deku Tree a-asked for him personally. Please let us pass…" It had taken all her courage to speak to the leader of the Kokiri; by the time she had finished her plea, her voice had once again dropped to its usual mumble, and she had retreated behind Link's collar once more.

"How dare you question Mido?" Ophelia asked haughtily. She flew towards Navi angrily.

"Mido only has the interests of the Kokiri tribe at heart! How dare you question his authority!?" She raged as she continued to advance on Navi. She was quickly blocked by a wall of green.

"You want her, you go through me," Link growled at Ophelia, who backed down almost immediately.

"Alright. Alright! Everyone calm down!" Mido said as he injected himself between his partner and his brother. He turned to Ophelia, who, by wordless command, resumed her perch on Mido's shoulder. Then he turned to Link.

"Look, Link, I'd love to let you pass, fairy or no fairy," he said, "but I can't! The path up ahead is too dangerous! Ever since late last night strange creatures and man-eating plants have begun to appear; in addition to that, there's poisonous gasses that have begun to permeate the path. You step in the wrong place, it wells up from the ground, and you're dead in minutes!"

Link understood the situation.

"Is there anything I can do to change your mind?" Link asked curiously.

Mido thought a moment.

"I suppose I could, if you were properly prepared," he admitted reluctantly.

"How would I do that? Be properly prepared, I mean," Link pressed.

Mido sighed.

"You'd need some way of filtering the poison from the air, so you can breathe, and you'll need some way of defending yourself, say a sword for example, at the very least. You do that, and I'll let you pass; you have my word."

Link smiled.

"Don't worry," he said, "I'll think of something." He departed for the storehouse; there might be something there that he could use…

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"Link? What are you doing?" Navi asked quietly, as she watched her partner sew a strip of leather to his cap.

"I'm turning my cap into a mask," Link explained, not looking up from his work.

"Oh, I see," Navi whispered. "That's really…really clever of you!"

Link chuckled.

"It's nothing all that great, really, and certainly nothing to praise me over," he said, as Navi hung her head in disappointment.

"But, thanks anyway," he said, as he finished his work and looked at her, smiling.

Navi returned his smile, weakly.

"What about a weapon?" She asked anxiously, as she inspected a nearby crate for anything of use.

Link shook his head.

"There's nothing here," he said. "I know; I had to sort through all these boxes and crates once as punishment for fighting with Mido."

Navi gasped.

"You fought with the leader of the Kokiri?" She asked in surprise.

Link laughed in embarrassment and scratched his head.

"Yeah," he admitted sheepishly, "and it wasn't exactly my proudest moment either."

"So what do we do about a weapon?" Navi asked curiously as she disappeared beneath his shirt.

Link shook his head.

"I don't know," he confessed. "I guess we'll just have to ask Mido, and see if he has any ideas."  
"O-okay." Navi squeaked.

"You just stay in there this time," he whispered reassuringly, "It will make Ophelia think twice about coming after you."

"I-if you say so."

"I say so."

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"Got a mask, I see," Mido observed, with a smug grin on his face.

"But no weapon," Link admitted, "I can't seem to find one. Any ideas, big brother?"

"Hm," Mido rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He turned around, lost in thought. Where was a weapon that he could give his brother?

…Why did it feel so breezy all of a sudden? He looked down to see his pants hanging loosely about his ankles, and watched as his younger brother raced down the path, with _his _sword in hand! _His sword! The Kokiri Sword! Used only by the leader of the Kokiri!_

"Link!" He shouted angrily, tripping on his pants and falling to the ground.

"Don't worry! I'll give it back as soon as I'm done!" Link called faintly.

Mido hurriedly pulled his pants back up, and made to fasten his belt, when he noticed how loose his pants continued to feel. He twisted about, to see where the sword had cut his belt clean in two.

_Link! You did that on purpose! _He thought angrily.

"LINK!" He bellowed savagely.


	13. Eye of the Spider

**Author's Note: Another twist of detail from the original plot of Ocarina of Time, in regards to Queen Gohma. The battle will be taking place in broad daylight as opposed to a dungeon. The inspiration for this change came from the official **_**Ocarina of Time**_** manga, which serves as the official novelization for the **_**Ocarina of Time**_** videogame. Also, expect this fight to be slightly more realistic than any dungeon fight in a **_**Legend of Zelda **_**videogame.**

Chapter 13

Eye of the Spider

Link charged through the hazy mists that had begun to creep along the path, a sign of the noxious toxins that lay beneath the ground. From within the folds of his shirt, he heard Navi cough weakly as the fumes reached her.

"Navi? Are you alright?" He asked with concern for his friend.

"I-I'm fine," she choked out, and began to cough heavily once more.

_It's the poison, _Link realized. His own face was protected by his makeshift mask that he had created, but the folds of his shirt still hung freely, and exposed Navi to the toxins that permeated both the ground and the air. He halted, and began to tuck his shirt beneath his belt.

"Link! Wh-what are you doing?" Navi demanded in a flustered voice.

"Saving your life," Link answered as he continued with his work.

_This feels so uncomfortable, _Link thought to himself as the cloth wadded tightly between his belt and his waist. _Uncomfortable, but necessary, _he reminded himself.

"There," he said as he finished, "That should protect you from the poison. Just don't come out until I say so."

"Alright," Navi whispered softly. Link tried not to laugh as she settled gently against his flesh. One of her wings brushed against him, and his diaphragm quaked with involuntary laughter against the sensation.

"Cut that out," he giggled, "That tickles!"

"Sorry," Navi muttered apologetically.

He pressed on without a word, and continued down the path that would lead him to his father.

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"Father!" Link called anxiously, as he broke from the trees and entered the Deku Tree's grove.

_Link…you have arrived._

"Great Deku Tree!" Navi called out desperately, forgetting her promise to Link, and desperately flying towards the ancient forest guardian.

"I brought him, Great Deku Tree!" She cried out, "I brought him, just as you asked!" She sounded near tears.

_Navi…well done, little one, _the Deku Tree replied warmly.

Link looked at his father's body in horror. Great chunks of bark had rotted off, and fungi sprouted across his mighty frame, from his great twisting roots, to the topmost of his mighty branches. His green leaves were yellowing, withering, and dying, falling to the ground in droves. The young boy collapsed to his knees at the sight.

"Father," he whispered softly, as tears filled his eyes. To see his father like this…the once mighty spirit of the forest, his father, his protector…to be afflicted with blight like this…

Link hung his head, feeling crushed.

_Link…my son…look…at…me. _The Deku Tree's voice, though weak, gushed with tenderness, and affection. Link obediently raised his head, and revealed the tears that streaked down his cheeks.

"Father, I'm so -" He began.

_This was not of your making my son; it is not your fault, _the Deku Tree interrupted.

"Great Deku Tree, what's happened to you?" Navi asked quietly. She hovered anxiously, just above Link's shoulder, fear, and shock emanating from her.

_A man…a wicked man dressed in black…has done this to me, _the forest spirit answered.

Link said nothing, appearing catatonic in his grief. A great root burst from the ground, and snaked towards the boy; it touched his shoulder gently, and roused him from his stupor. He touched it fondly.

"How do I stop it?" He asked, desperately.

The answer broke his father's heart.

_You cannot, my son._

"That's not true!" Link protested, "There has to be a way! There has to be -"

_There is none. I was doomed from the moment this curse was laid upon me._

Link looked at his father in horror and sadness.

_I'm going to lose him, _Link realized as the horrible reality sank in: _I'm losing my father._

"_Father! Don't go!" _He screamed, and beat his fists against the trunk in frustration.

_Link…_

"No! No! NO!"

_Link…listen to me…_

"NO! NO! NO!" Link's tears poured out harder, his fists pounded until they were raw and bloody. His throat felt numb, he was screaming so hard. This couldn't be! It wasn't fair!

_Link!_

Immediately, Link ceased his tantrum, and looked upon his father once more.

_I did not call you hear to save my life, _the Deku Tree explained, _I summoned you here to give you this…_

From the depths of the earth sprang a twisting spiral of roots, which unwound themselves from each other, and revealed a glowing green jewel within. In spite of the situation, Link looked at the stone in wonder.

_This is the Kokiri Emerald, _his father continued. _Link, I am entrusting this, our most guarded secret, to you._

"Why?" Link asked bitterly. He glowered at the jewel angrily; it had cost the Deku Tree his life, and it did not have the power to save him. What did Link want with that stupid rock, when it had already caused so much pain?

_Because it is what the wicked one desired, _the Deku Tree explained. _Because he must never be allowed to have it. If he were to obtain it, he would wield vast, unimaginable power. I cannot allow this. Giving the stone to you is the only way I can ensure he never finds it._

"You're sending me away? You want me to leave the forest?" Link demanded. He'd die if he left the forest; every Kokiri knew that!

_I am, _the Deku Tree answered, _but do not fear. You are not like your brothers and sisters. You will not die if you leave the sanctuary of the forest; _you _will survive._

"I don't want it," Link refused.

_You must…take it…my son, _the Deku Tree responded wearily. _You must…for the good of the…entire world._

"I don't care about the world!" Link shouted, "I only care about you, and Saria, and Mido, and everyone else in the village!"

_Then do this…for them._

Link looked up at his father again for the fourth time.

_You are the only one who can do this. There is no other. _The Deku Tree's voice was tinged with regret.

Link looked at the stone once again.

_Saria, _he thought, _Mido. _All the other faces of his brothers and sisters flashed before his eyes, flooding his memories. Grudgingly…reluctantly…his fingers closed over the stone, as he took it from his father.

The ground trembled beneath his feet; there was a crash from behind, as trees collapsed, savagely uprooted from the ground.

"Link…," Navi whispered fearfully.

_I know, _Link thought as he drew the Kokiri sword from his back, and stood to face his unseen foe. Whatever it was, it was big.

The edge of the tree line exploded with force, as a gargantuan monster burst forth. It was large, and insect like in appearance, with many hinged legs, and fangs that frothed, and dripped with deadly venom. It had clawed feet meant for holding its prey down, as it bit into their tender flesh. And at the center of its body was a luminous, bulbous, red eye.

The creature spotted Link, bellowed loudly, and charged at him. Link leapt to the side, feeling fear grip his insides as he scurried away, desperately trying to get away from this horrid monstrosity, this thing born of nightmares.

"Link!" Navi shrieked shrilly. Link quickly turned at the sound of his name. He saw the little fairy floating high above the ground, in between the highest of the Deku Tree's branches, and on the ground below, the monster was slowly beginning its ascent to capture, and devour the tiny morsel in front of it.

Navi's eyes locked with Link's.

_Help me, _she begged silently.

Desperately, the young Kokiri looked about for something, anything he could use as a projectile against the hideous spider. Not far off to his left he saw five small Deku Nuts lying on the ground. He smiled mischievously as he recalled the blinding light they could generate when struck in _just_ the right way; it was a part of their magic, and the Kokiri had often used them to play naughty pranks on one another. He picked them up, and prepared to throw one at the branch above the beast.

_Here's hoping that I don't miss, _he thought as he hurled the seed with all his might. It left his fingers, hurtling through space with more speed than Link had ever thought he was capable of producing, and hit the branch, producing a blinding flash of light.

The monstrous spider shrieked in agony, and toppled to the ground with a shuddering crash, writhing in the dirt, blinded by the seed. Navi wasted no time; quickly, she sped away from the behemoth, and to her partner's shoulder.

"Th-thank you," she stammered, her eyes layered with a film of tears.

Link nodded, but said nothing as he watched the creature rise from the ground, and turn towards him, hissing in rage.

"Oh? You don't like that?" He taunted as the spider took several steps toward him.

The creature hissed again.

"Well here! Have some more!" Link hurled two more nuts at the creature's eye. They missed their mark, striking the spider's legs instead, but they still produced their trademark light.

There was another wail of agony as the spider collapsed to the ground, and writhed and twitched in obvious pain.

"Link?"

The boy looked at his fairy.

"I-I think that that eye i-is i-its w-weak point," Navi observed.

Link nodded in understanding. _Okay, _he thought. He gripped the Kokiri sword tightly in his left hand, and rushed forward, screaming at the top of his lungs.

The sword plunged inward, as Link slashed downward with all his might. There was a roar of agony; the spider reared in pain, and howled loudly, its mouth frothing with even more venom. It collapsed to the ground, and lay still, unmoving, as a pool of green slime gathered beneath it.

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Navi sighed with relief.

"Th-that was really brave, Link," she squeaked as she surveyed his accomplishment.

Link simply stood where he was, and said nothing. Navi looked at him, concerned.

"Link?" She whispered softly.

Link put a hand to his mouth, and sank to his knees. He heaved mightily.

"Link?" Navi looked at him anxiously; he was turning green.

He looked at her, wide eyed, and then quickly turned away, and retched loudly. Navi winced in sympathy, and turned away. Link retched again. Navi turned to see him wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, pale and sweaty. The look she wore was sympathetic and sad at the same time; he'd been as frightened as she was. It was only now that it was beginning to take its toll.

_Link…_

The voice of the Deku Tree reached the pair faintly. Link and Navi turned in the direction of the voice.

"Father?" Link asked weakly.

_My…son…I have…one last…gift…for…you…on…your…journey._

Link wanted to protest his father's words, but found himself unable to do so. He could only sit and listen while his father continued.

_When…I…have…gone…from…this…world,…take…a…fragment…of…my…bark…for…yourself…Fashion…a…shield…from…it...and…use…it…to…defend…yourself…on…the…journey…ahead._

Link hung his head; the moment was only seconds away.

_Link…_

The Kokiri couldn't even bring himself to respond, so deep was his grief. But his father's words would ring in his ears for many years to come.

_Make me proud._

With that, the Deku Tree's voice retreated from his mind, as the guardian of the forest passed from one world, and into the next.

It would be many hours later, before Link found the will to remove himself from the grove…


	14. Blame

**Author's Note: Just so you know, this was the hardest chapter to write. Not for any emotional reason, just because it was such a sticking point in the plot. Anyway, I hope you like it; and I apologize in advance if it's a little less when compared to the other chapters. The title is the overall theme of the chapter; we see the effect the death of the Great Deku Tree has on several characters in the story, and how they each feel responsible for bringing it about.**

Chapter 14

Blame

Navi sat silently on her partner's shoulder, feeling as if she were living in a nightmare; it was as if her darkest fears made real, and now she was forced to live them. She had gained a partner, a friend, her deepest, most precious hope, her dream; all it had cost in exchange was the life of the god of the forest.

_The price of my selfishness, _she thought to herself. _Did I really believe that my dream would cost me nothing? There is always something we sacrifice in exchange for what we want._

She looked at her friend. Link's face was a mask of despair; tears poured from his eyes, streaking down his cheeks, his eyes were dead and haunted, his lips were tight with grim determination. In short, his face was the perfect example of abject misery, and woe.

_He must hate me, _she thought to herself. _I didn't get to him in time, and it cost him his father._

She just _knew _that he blamed her; what she didn't understand was why he wasn't shouting at her, why he wasn't demanding that she leave him and never come back, or why he didn't simply tell her to find a new partner, because he would no longer be hers.

_Why don't you blame me, _she wondered as she continued to watch him, from her place on his shoulder. Was he going to ignore her until she finally departed?

Silence continued to pass between them; several times she opened her mouth to speak, only for her guilt, and her fear to drown out her voice.

She'd had nothing…and she'd taken everything from him.

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Link walked in silence, his eyes burning, his chest feeling tight and constricted. There was an uncomfortable feeling in his belly that had nothing to do with hunger, and his limbs felt heavy and spent from the day's exertions.

_This is all my fault, _he thought to himself.

_If only I'd gotten there sooner, or…or done something other than just stand there, Father wouldn't have…Father wouldn't be…_

He balled his fist tightly, nails digging deep into the flesh of his palms.

_Father, I'm sorry. I'm the reason you're dead now._

He collapsed to his knees, arms wrapped tightly about his belly as the grief washed over him anew. He had cried for so long, and so hard before that he felt as if he hadn't had any tears left; but now, they poured out with renewed vigor.

_My fault. _He wiped his eyes, and pulled the shield he had carved from off his back, and lay it on the ground before him. It was all he had left of his father.

_A shield, _he thought sullenly. He'd rather have his father.

"Navi," he said aloud, "I don't think I'll ever stop missing him."

There was no response from the little fairy. Link looked down at his shoulder; she wasn't there. He pulled off his cap, and felt the top of his head; she wasn't there either.

He leapt to his feet and looked about frantically.

"Navi," he called out anxiously.

There was no response.

"Navi!" He called again, louder this time.

Where had she gone? How long had she been gone? Hastily, he picked up his shield, and threw it on his back once more. Then, he dashed back towards the Deku Tree's grove, the direction from which he had come, all the while calling frantically for his friend.

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Navi heard him calling her name, but she remained hidden from him high in the tree branches above. Her heart yearned to return to him, as she heard the frantic cries; but guilt held her where she was, just as it had held her tongue.

_I'm sorry, _she thought, _but it's better this way. Now you'll be able to find a new partner. One who won't cause you so much pain._

She watched as Link tripped and fell to the ground; she flinched at the pain she knew he felt. What happened next left her stunned, and completely speechless.

"Don't leave me alone," she heard him sob pleadingly.

She listened in amazement.

"Don't leave me alone!" Link was begging while kneeling on all fours. "Please! You're my friend! Don't leave me alone like this - !"

Navi's little heart stopped at his next words.

"I need you." It was barely above a whisper.

After everything she had put him through? After all the pain she had caused? He was still willing to have her? She flew downwards, towards her partner, towards her brother, towards her friend.

She landed softly on the ground where he knelt.

"Link?"

He looked up at her, stunned, as if he dared not believe his eyes.

"Navi?" He croaked.

The little fairy nodded.

"It's me," she said.

"Don't scare me like that," Link begged as he wiped his eyes.

Navi nodded again.

"Okay," she mumbled softly.

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"Well, it's about time you got back!" Mido snapped crossly, with his arms folded tightly across his chest. He'd been worried sick ever since Link stormed off to speak with their father.

Link didn't respond to his older brother's angry tone; he just wordlessly handed the Kokiri Sword to him, with a lost, forlorn, desperate look in his eye.

"Link? What happened?" Mido demanded in bewilderment.

Link just continued to walk away, off towards his house.

"Stop right there!" Ophelia shouted, "Mido just asked you what happened out there! You will -"

"Ophelia, not now," Mido muttered.

She whirled around, and gawked at her partner. "But, Mido," she protested.

"It's alright. He can tell me later," Mido responded. He'd never seen Link appear so…"dead"…before. Now would not be a good time to discuss whatever had happened. He looked down at the sheathed sword in his hand, and gripped it tightly. He looked down the path that would lead him to the Deku Tree's grove.

_Yes._

He'd see it with his own eyes.

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He collapsed to his knees at the sight before him: his father's body decaying, rotting, afflicted with blight and fungi from root to leaf.

"Fa…ther?" His voice was broken, crushed, defeated.

_How could this have happened?_

Mido's body trembled violently as the memories rushed back to him.

"_Hey! Mido! Father needs to speak with me! He said it was urgent! Can I pass?"_

He covered his eyes with his right hand.

"_I'm sorry brother, but I can't let you pass!"_

His breathing became ragged. He panted like a wounded beast.

"_P-please, Mr. Mido, the Great Deku Tree asked for him personally. Please let us pass..."_

His eyes burned and stung beneath the palm of his hand…

"…_I can't! The path up ahead is too dangerous…"_

He screamed as tears poured from between his fingers.

_This is my fault, _Mido thought in anguish, _all my fault! If I'd just let him by when he'd asked, Father would still be alive!_

He hadn't wanted this! He was just trying to protect his brothers and sisters from the new dangers that had sprung up within the forest; and now his father was dead because of it!

_Father, _he thought, looking down at the ground before him, _I'm sorry! I was just trying to be an older brother and look out for everyone else! I didn't want this! I'm sorry!_

"I'm sorry!" He cried.


	15. Not My Brother!

Chapter 15

Not My Brother!

"Mido! You can't!" Saria protested as she watched her oldest brother ascend the ladder to Link's house. Her little brother was still grieving over the loss of their father; what right did Mido have to disturb that?

"Just watch me!" Mido snapped angrily, "He can't hide in there forever! And today's the day he faces the world again!"

He angrily pulled aside the curtain that hung across Link's dorrway, and stepped inside. Saria and Tiberius cringed in unison; this would not end pleasantly.

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"YOU!" Mido bellowed, standing in the doorway of his younger brother, "Get out of bed! You've been in here long enough!"

Link, who had been caught off guard by his brother's shout, toppled out of bed in surprise, landing with a heavy thud upon the floor. Groaning, rubbing the sore spot on his head, he sat up and looked at his older brother with dejection and sorrow in his eyes.

"Go away, Mido." He said quietly, "I just want to be alone."

Mido growled angrily from deep in his throat, and strode towards Link, furious. He lifted his younger brother by his shirt collar, and held him so that they were at eye level.

"Too bad," Mido growled.

Link choked, unable to respond. He clawed at Mido's hands, trying to pull them away from his throat.

Mido looked at him in disgust.

"Pathetic," he snarled, as he slammed Link against the wall.

"You think you're the only one who's hurting?" Mido demanded, "You think you're the only one who's suffered?" He threw Link to the ground, where he choked and rubbed at his neck, staring up at Mido in shock.

"Father's dead!" Mido hollered, tears welling in his youthful, blue eyes. "He's dead, and he's not coming back!"

Link still said nothing. Mido continued to shout.

"So what do we do? Hide in our homes, and cry ourselves to sleep at night for the rest of our lives? That's not living at all, Link! That's wallowing in pity!" He grabbed Link and lifted him again; he drew his right fist back, and thrust it forward into Link's gut as hard as he could.

"And that's no way to live at all!"

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Navi watched as the scene unfolded before her. She was trembling in fright, as she watched Link get tossed about by his older brother like a rag doll. She trembled in fright, as she heard Mido shout at her partner, and her friend.

_I have to do something, _she thought as the fight grew steadily worse.

Then Mido's fist connected with Link's gut. She snapped; it was too much.

"Link!" She called fearlfully, tearfully, as she propelled herself towards him. She had to help him! She couldn't just sit by and let him get beaten like this! She had to do something, no matter how small it might be!

Ophelia flew up, arms spread protectively, using herself as a shield. She was hovering between Navi, and the brawling pair of brothers below.

"M-Move!" Navi shouted as she continued forward, "I'll h-hit you! I s-swear I will!"

Ophelia stubbornly refused to move, even as Navi's tiny fist connected with her face. Navi halted in her flight, panting in both fear and shock; had she _really_ just done that?

Ophelia rubbed her smarting jaw, but made no attempt at retribution. She simply stared at the timid fairy before her, with a mixture of emotions in her eyes: anger, pride, sorrow, pity, and…approval?

"You're learning," she said appraisingly, as she continued rubbing her aching jaw.

"I c-can't let M-Mido do th-that to L-Link!" She stammered in protest, "He's my friend! My partner!"

"And Mido is his brother!" Ophelia countered, crossing her arms sternly. Navi wilted slightly under the pink fairy's glare. Ophelia's eyes softened in understanding and sympathy.

"I know it seems harsh, and I know it sounds even harsher, but stay out of this," Ophelia ordered.

Navi appeared mutinous; in spite of her normally timid disposition, her eyes were hard and determined, her face was set. She _was _going to help her friend!

Ophelia remained unmoving.

"I know it doesn't seem like it, but believe it or not, Mido _is_ trying to help," she said.

"H-How!?" Navi demanded furiously.

Ophelia looked over her shoulder at the feuding brothers.

"The only way he knows how."

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"Mido! Stop this!" Link rasped, as Mido gripped him by the collar. Mido simply growled in response, and threw Link against the opposite wall.

"I'm your brother!" Link protested.

"You're not my brother!" Mido shouted, as he drew back his fist.

Link ducked under the incoming blow, and looked at Mido, hurt plain in his blue eyes. How could he say that?

"I am!" Link shouted.

"You're not!" Mido shouted in return, "You're just a big baby, whose decided to shut himself away, and hide from the world while he grieves in self pity, constantly telling himself, 'poor me, poor me!'"

He threw another punch at Link.

"That's not my brother! You've replaced him!"

Another punch, this time it connected with Link's jaw, sending the younger Kokiri sprawling. Mido seized Link, and lifted him again to eye level.

"And I want him back!"

A fist to the gut…

"Give him back!"

A vicious shove…

"Give me back my brother!"

He glared at the contemptible figure, and his brother's pitiful expression. He seized Link by his collar again, and drew his fist back, in order to strike Link again.

"I want him back! And I want him back now!"

He thrust his fist forward…only for it to be stopped as Link caught it midstrike. He and Mido stared at each other for a brief moment. Then Link tilted his head back…and headbutted his older brother.

Mido groaned, and released his grip on Link's collar, rubbing his smarting forehead gingerly. There was a second wave of pain as he felt "something" collide with his abdomen; with his eyes closed he could not be sure of what.

He heard Link growl angrily. Mido chuckled.

_There he is, _he thought to himself happily.

"There he is," he repeated aloud as he opened his eyes…only to see Link charging straight for him!

_Oh no._

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The sounds of crashing pottery, the dull thuds as bodies connected with walls, and Mido's angry shouting reached both the ears of Saria and her partner, Tiberius. It was Tiberius who winced uncomfortably at the sounds that echoed from within Link's house.

"Shouldn't we get someone? Break this up?" The green fairy suggested.

Saria shook her head, focused on the house above.

"Let them get this out of their systems," she said, "it'll be better for everyone in the end."

Tiberius shrugged his tiny shoulders, and looked up in the direction of the sounds once more.

"If you say so," he muttered.

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Link and Mido burst from within the house, each struggling with the other for dominance in their fight. They were both edging dangerously close towards the end of Link's balcony, and the ground ten feet below. Tiberius and Saria both cringed, and looked away when they saw Mido's foot slip off.

They heard him yelp in surprise…

They heard him fall to the ground…

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Link grinned as he struggled with Mido, and forced him to the edge of the balcony. His older brother's foot slid over the edge, heel first. Mido's eyes widened in shock; it may only have been ten feet, but still…falling from that height would not be pleasant. He yelped in surprise as Link began to force his other foot off as well; his younger brother's smile widened as he gave a final push, and Mido was launched into empty space.

Link felt his feet leave the solid wood of the balcony as he also flew forward, and followed Mido on his journey to the ground below. He looked down to see that Mido had seized him by the belt, just before Link had pushed him off. Link stared at the ground as it rushed forward to meet him. A single thought registered in his brain:

_Ow._

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Mido and Link lay next to each other in Saria's house, as their sister tended to them. Their clothes were torn in several places, dirt smudged their faces, and they were covered with bruises from head to toe. Both remained very still as Saria glared down at the pair of them.

"Honestly," she snapped irritably as she cleaned up Mido's face with a rag, "why do boys always have to settle things with their fists? Why can't they _ever _just talk things out?"

Mido wisely remained silent.

"And you're the leader of the Kokiri!" She continued as she looked down at Mido, "You set the example for everyone else!" She mashed the washrag against his face angrily, as Link giggled quietly.

"And don't get me started on you!" Saria growled, causing Link to fall silent, and still once more. "Hiding away for a week, even though I've been worried sick about you, refusing to leave your house for even a second to let everyone know you're alright…!"

Link swallowed. The rest of the day was going to be a long one…

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He winced as he gingerly applied Saria's medication to his face.

_Definitely going to be a bruise, _he thought, as he rubbed the salve.

Navi hovered beside him, looking anxious.

"Does it hurt?" She asked quietly.

He winced as he attempted to smile.

"It's not as bad as it looks," he said.

"I'm sorry I didn't help you earlier," Navi mumbled, hanging her head.

Link forced her to look up at him with a fingertip, and shook his head.

"You did the right thing," he reassured, "Mido was right: I was behaving like a baby, and I had to be snapped out of it. As painful as it was, I'm glad you didn't interfere. So…thank you." He smiled, and winced again as his facial muscles protested.

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Mido lay back on his bed, letting sleep gradually consume him. In the cool semidarkness of the forest, he smiled. It had taken a couple more blows than he had hoped, but it seemed that Link would be alright afterall. That was all that mattered.

Family was the most important thing; that was what his father had taught him. And Link was family; nothing would ever change that.

_And you don't leave family behind, _he thought with both pride and sorrow in his heart.

_Father…I promise: I won't fail you again._

Mido drifted off to sleep, as tears of relief flowed from between his eyes.


	16. Gifts

Chapter 16

Gifts

Navi watched silently from her place high on the shelf, as Link, her partner, her friend, stuffed his blanket, his pillow, and a spare set of clothes into a travel sack. The little fairy fluttered her wings in anxiety.

_He's leaving, _she thought. The realization hit her hard, and frightened her. He was honoring his late father's wishes: he was leaving his home, his family…

_He was leaving her._

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Link held the Kokiri Emerald before his eyes, watching as it caught the light in its green depths, wishing with all his might to fling it away; but he couldn't. Father had asked him to keep it secret, to keep it safe, to protect and safeguard it. It had been the Deku Tree's final wish for the stone to be protected; and Link had been chosen, for reasons still unknown to him, to perform such a function.

His fingers closed tightly on the green jewel angrily.

"I hate you," he said, addressing the stone as if it were a person, "You killed my father; you took him away from me. If I had my way, I'd drop you in the nearest pond and leave you there, pretending you didn't exist."

The stone remained silent, uncaring as its owner railed against it.

"But Father asked me to keep you safe," Link continued, "and that's the only reason I'm letting you tag along! I want to see the world that Father spoke of, and see what he thought was worth protecting. Because if he gave his life for nothing…"

His fingertips were beginning to hurt; he was grabbing the stone so tightly.

"Then I'll crush you myself," he finished threateningly.

With that, he stuffed the Kokiri Emerald into his pack, and resumed his work.

"And that is one of the sure signs of insanity: talking to a stone, acting as though it will respond to the sound of your voice."

Link smiled, turning to observe the smirk on his older brother's face.

"Mido," he said, as he stood up, and groaned softly as his knees protested. Without waiting for an invitation, Mido stepped into the room. His eyes grew sad as he looked about Link's house, and saw opened chests and drawers.

"You're leaving?" He asked sadly.

Link nodded in response.

"Yes, I am."

"You'll die if you leave the forest. You know that, right?" Mido didn't want to lose anymore of his family. Losing Father had been hard enough; he wouldn't lose his siblings too.

But Link shook his head.

"I won't die," he said, cryptically.

Mido raised an eyebrow in disbelief; his expression demanded an explanation. Link shrugged his shoulders, in response.

"Father said so," he explained, feeling inadequate. "He said that I was different from everyone else, that if_ I _left the forest, _I _would survive."

Mido smiled in response as he gazed warmly at his little brother.

"What?" Link demanded.

"He was right," Mido said quickly, as Link cocked an eyebrow of his own.

"Father," Mido explained, "He was right. You are different from the rest of us. There was a time when I considered that a bad thing; a time where I thought that to be different was something to be shunned, and feared, and hated. But I don't see that anymore; instead, I see that to be different is sometimes a good thing."

Link looked at his brother, wide eyed, along with Navi, and Ophelia, who also wore expressions of shock on their minute faces. Mido's smile widened, as he clapped his brother on the shoulder.

"Father chose you for a reason," he said, "Father had a reason for everything he did, and you're no exception. He wanted you to do this; he knew that out of all of us, all of his children, _you _were the one who could do this. You were meant for it!"

Without warning, the eldest Kokiri stepped forward, and embraced his younger brother warmly. It was a hug that was warmly returned.

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"You don't think he'd leave, do you Tiberius?"

The honest answer was "yes." The little green fairy scratched the back of his head nervously. How did he answer this without hurting her feelings? This was her baby brother they were talking about, after all.

Tiberius cleared his throat.

"Well…"

"Yes?"

"Um…"

"No?"

He looked at her sadly, feeling torn. If he gave her the answer she wanted, he was only lying to her, and causing more pain; but if he told the truth…

"Tiberius?"

"No."

Happiness shone in her eyes at the answer, while inside Tiberius cringed with guilt. He looked out the window and into the starry night sky outside.

_Forgive me, _he begged silently, hanging his head in shame.

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"Oh! I almost forgot! I want you to take this with you," Mido said, holding out the Kokiri Sword to his brother.

"The Kokiri Sword? But Mido -!" He protested loudly. The Kokiri Sword belonged to the leader of the Kokiri Tribe; only Mido was allowed to carry it, as per Father's direct wishes. Link even remembered his father's answer when Link had asked why:

"_Because it is the leader's duty to protect his people from any danger. First in every attack, last in every retreat; that is what it means to be a leader, a hero…_

"_A champion."_

Mido grinned brightly.

"I can't take this," Link said, pushing it away.

Mido pushed it back.

"Consider it a loan, then," Mido said, still grinning widely at Link, "You can return it once you're done."

"Done with what?"

"With whatever it is you need to do!"

Link's fingers stretched, reached out for the sword before him. They closed over the sword's scabbard, as Mido's released it from his own grasp.

"Thanks," Link mumbled, as he looked down at the sword he held in his hand.

"Don't mention it!" Mido said fondly, as he watched Link try it on, and make adjustments so that the sword fit comfortably. Feeling satisfied, he looked up at Mido, and placed his hands on his hips, while Mido inspected him carefully. Finally, the leader of the Kokiri nodded affirmatively.

"You look like a real hero now," he said appraisingly.

Link beamed at him. Mido smacked his palm against his forehead, and fished at the back of his belt for something.

"By the way, I know it's a little early, but I made something for you," he said, as Link threw him a puzzled look. Mido withdrew his hand from behind him, and held a slingshot in his hand, which he held out to his little brother. Link looked from Mido, to the slingshot, and once more into his brother's blue eyes. Mido smiled.

"Happy birthday!"

There was even a complimentary bag of Deku seeds to go with it!

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From her place on the shelf, Navi watched as Link slept peacefully, his breathing soft, but deep and even. He would be leaving, early tomorrow morning, and she didn't know what to do! She didn't want to lose him, but at the same time, she was afraid; afraid of what lay beyond the forest, and in the wide world beyond.

She squeaked at the thought of birds that could gobble her up in a single snap of their beak, of insects with stingers the size of knives, of people the size of mountains. The Great Deku Tree had always said that it was a _big_, wide world; but the thought had only ever made her afraid of the outside world, not want to explore it!

_Until now._

She looked down at the sleeping boy, tucked warmly beneath his second set of bed sheets, and resting his arm beneath his head, using it as a makeshift pillow. He rolled over onto his back, snoring softly in the quiet of the room. He scratched his stomach, drooling a little, before he became still again.

_Until now._

Until now, she'd always been afraid of the world outside. Until now, she'd never had a friend to call her own. Until now, other fairies had teased her, and called her names because she was too shy to choose a partner of her own. Now…now she was afraid of something else: she was afraid of being alone.

She'd had a taste of companionship, and now, she was afraid to lose it once again. So, she made her choice, then and there: no matter where he went, or what he did, she would follow him wherever he went. She smiled to herself at the promise she made in her heart; alone, she was too afraid to do anything, but with him…

_With him, I can face the world, _she thought, feeling confidence flow through her for the first time in her life. She giggled softly in the night, marveling at how deeply one life could affect another.

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Morning, the following day; a thick mist swirled throughout the village, blanketing everything in fog, making everything cold and wet. Link shivered involuntarily, as he hefted his pack on his shoulders.

_Chilly_, he thought to himself as he adjusted the straps on his pack. Navi exited the house as Link drew the curtain across the doorway, and almost immediately, flew beneath his hat in an effort to stay warm. He looked about the village; all was quiet, and still, not a soul in sight. He smiled sadly; this would be the last time he saw his home for a long time…possibly ever.

He sighed, as he climbed down the ladder that rested against his balcony-porch, and headed for the bridge that would lead him out of the Lost Woods, and into the wide world beyond.

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"So you're really leaving, then?"

Link stopped, and turned in the direction of the voice behind him. It was Saria, standing against one of the ropes that supported the bridge's massive weight. Her eyes were pensive and sad, he noticed, as she began to step towards him.

"I guess I should have known," she said, "After all, you're different from the others."

She smiled, placing her hands behind her back.

"I made something for you," she said shyly, and blushing lightly at her cheeks, "I hope you like it." Without waiting for an answer, she shoved her gift into his hands. Link looked down at it; it was cream colored, and ovoid in shape.

"An ocarina?" He asked happily, and beaming at her.

Her smile widened slightly.

"Turn it over," she suggested. Link obeyed, and saw that there was writing on the ocarina's underside. A message from his sister, carved into the instrument with her own knife, and her own skill in calligraphy; what it read was simple:

'Happy Birthday from Big Sister Saria!'

'Big Sister Saria'…that had been his baby name for her, when he had been first learning how to speak. According to the others, he had been rather attached to Saria in those days, and refused to let himself be separated from her, and constantly referred to her as 'Big Sister'. It was a painful reminder of what he was giving up. He looked up at her with burning, stinging eyes.

"Saria, I -," he began softly.

"Think of me when you play it, okay?" She asked softly.

He nodded in response, too choked up to respond verbally.

"Promise?"

Another nod.

"Want to play one more time, before you go?" Saria asked, as she withdrew her own ocarina, and held it out at the ready. Link couldn't refuse; he raised the ocarina to his lips.

"Sure," he said, voice cracking.

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The song ended, and both children lowered their respective ocarinas from their lips. Neither had dry eyes, nor did their two companion fairies. Link wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, as Saria approached and hugged him tightly.

"Promise me you'll come back someday," she begged, whispering softly in his ear.

Link held her just as tightly.

"I will, I promise," he said.

Saria released him, and he took a step back.

And then another.

And another.

Turning, he fled, running through the tunnel, and the mysterious world beyond.

"I promise! Someday soon, I'm coming back! Just you wait! Wait for me!" He called, not looking back, his voice echoing down the tunnel, and back to his beloved sister's ears.

_I know, _she thought, as she turned and walked away, Tiberius following close behind her.

_I have faith in you._

**Author's Note: Well, as I'm sure you're all aware, I normally don't leave Author's Notes at the end of my stories, but this is one of those few exceptions to the norm. That's because I find them distracting, and I thought others might too. Anyway, I have done this this one time because I have a question to put to my loyal readers, and I didn't want to distract you from the story before I asked this: should I make a sequel to this? I haven't decided yet, and I wanted some outside opinions. Feel free to leave those opinions in either your reviews, or simply private message me with your response. **

**I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this work, and appreciate all those who also took the time to post their reviews, both positive and negative, as they have been constructive and helpful. Once again, thank you for your time, and have a nice day.**


	17. Epilogue

**Author's Note: The Forest Temple proper will not be covered in this chapter. In the event of a sequel, I would not want to spoil all the details prematurely. Therefore, the focus will be mostly on the character interactions, as well as Link's thoughts upon his return to the Lost Woods.**

Epilogue

He vanished, disappearing into the mysterious world beyond their own, never to be seen, never to be heard from again. Many believed that he had died, others thought he ran away; and still others believed, and hoped, that he was still out there somewhere, still alive, still enduring in spite of all the evil things that were afoot in the world. For seven long years, nobody in the village of the Kokiri heard any news of him, and yearned for some sign that their little brother was alright. For seven long years, their pleas were in vain; for seven long years, their prayers remained unanswered. For seven long years, they watched and waited, as the forest slowly crumbled, and decayed around them…

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Home…

That's what this place was to him; home. The place where he had been raised since he was a baby, the place where a tree had been his father, and he'd had more brothers and sisters than he could count; the place where he'd received his fairy companion, and had been sent out on his quest. The place that was nearest and dearest to his heart in all of the fair land of Hyrule.

The sight of the desecrated landscape left him feeling horrified, and numb. Trees lay fallen, and rotting across the paths that led throughout the village; the sounds of birds and insects were not present as they had been in the past. Great man eating plants lay in wait at the edges of several pathways, ready to spring, and snatch up their unsuspecting prey. But all this was not the worst of it all; no, indeed, the worst of it all was seeing a small makeshift graveyard, complete with grave markers for the dearly departed.

_I caused this, _he thought, sinking to his knees. He was responsible for the destruction of his homeland all those years ago.

_I caused all this! This is all my fault, _he thought bitterly as he felt his eyes begin to well, and his vision became blurry. His hand balled into a fist in the dirt angrily; he'd only been trying to protect his home from the wicked man in black armor, known as Ganondorf the War-bringer. The princess had warned him that this wicked man had meant harm to all the fair land of Hyrule, the Lost Woods included; it was the only reason he'd agreed to help her in the first place.

But he'd caused all this. All this death, all this pain, all this fear; in spite of all he had set out to accomplish, he'd caused all this instead…

"Link?"

The young man looked up at the little fairy that accompanied him, trying desperately not to shed tears in front of her. She flew close and stroked his cheek with her tiny hand.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

In spite of himself, and the situation he was in, Link found himself smiling. Not everything had changed for the worse; Navi had grown as his companion, and his friend. She didn't stutter anymore, and she wasn't as shy as she used to be, even if she was still soft spoken, and mumbled on occasion. She had not abandoned him in all the time since they had left the Forest all those years ago, which was also a testament to her growing bravery.

His smile grew wider, even as the tears fell.

"I'm sorry," she whispered tenderly.

"It's alright," he said, wiping at his eyes, "It wasn't your fault."

"What are we going to do?" Navi demanded, looking about at the sight before her.

Link's hand drifted to the sword strapped across his back, and gripped the hilt tightly in his hand. Navi smiled weakly; she'd seen that look before!

"We're going to set things right," Link growled angrily, "Then I'm going to find Ganondorf, and kill him! He made this personal the second he did this to my home!"

"Our home," Navi corrected.

Link nodded in agreement.

"Our home," he amended.

With that, he stood once again, and headed for the cliffs that overlooked the village. The stranger had told him to seek the ancient garden known as the Sacred Forest Meadow; once there, he would find a place, a Temple in need of cleansing, and a Sage who would bestow upon him her blessing, if he proved able to overcome the evil that lay within.

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Eyes watched him from every direction, their owners whispering quietly amongst themselves about the mysterious stranger with the fairy:

"Who is that?"

"Why does he have a fairy?"

"Is he one of the Big People from Outside?"

"That's a nice sword he has! Do you think he'll let me hold it?"

"Did Mido bring him here? He left just like Saria did two years ago! Maybe he brought this person back!"

"I hope he can help us! I'm scared!"

"Here! Hide behind me! I'll protect you!"

But no one dared to exit the safety of their houses, where groups of Kokiri had congregated together, finding safety in numbers. They were too scared. They were trapped in their own houses, and unable to do anything about it. No one dared go to the stranger and ask the questions they all desired answers to. They all just watched and waited…hoping for the danger to pass.

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The phantom wailed and writhed, clutching at its face as the Sword divided it clean in two. Link's eyes were filled with hate, his face set with grim determination. He raised the sword high over his head, and brought it down once again.

"Die!" He shouted, as the spirit screamed and wailed.

He swung again.

"Die!"

And again.

"Die!"

And again.

"DIE!"

With a final swing, and a painful wail, the spirit burst apart, becoming wisps of smoke, and fading into the nothing about it. With a relaxing sigh, Link sheathed the Master Sword, and walked over to the little girl who lay on the floor of the dungeon. She was naked, without a stitch to cover her modesty. Bruises, cuts and welts covered her body from head to toe. Link felt a deep anger burn inside him, when he realized that Ganondorf had _wanted _her to be seen this way: humiliated, and shamed, to serve as an example to any who wished to protest his reign. Link's vision blurred at the sight of her.

"Saria," He murmured, gently stroking her cheek. She hadn't aged a day since he had left.

_Seven years, _he thought bitterly. He pulled out the blanket he carried in his pack and draped it over her body, before he gently lifted her, and cradled her in his arms. She stirred as he carried her to the exit.

"Hi," she whispered faintly, a small smile appearing on her face.

Link smiled down at her.

"Hi," he whispered back.

"Did…? Was it you who killed all the monsters in the temple, mister?"

Link nodded.

"Yeah," he answered tenderly.

Saria's smile widened.

"Oh," she murmured, "good. The forest spirits will be so happy to be home once again…"

Her eyes drooped heavily, leaving them half closed.

"You're tired," Link observed, "you need rest."

Saria nodded slowly in agreement.

"Rest," she said, "that would be nice."

Her eyes closed, and she drifted off to sleep, still cradled gently in the arms of the young man who had protected her. In spite of the pain in his heart, Link chuckled softly; he'd never known Saria snored.

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"Tiberius will be happy to be reunited with Saria, once she wakes up," Mido said quietly, as he and Link sat across from the bed Saria lay in, watching as Melanie placed a cool washrag on Saria's brow.

"I've never felt more useless!" Mido said, slamming his fist down on the bench he was sitting on, and earning himself a glare from Melanie as she continued to nurse Saria. Link flinched at his brother's rage and self-hate.

"My village – my family – under attack, and all I do is cower in a hole with the rest of them! How am I protecting them? How am I being a leader, like Father taught me to be? I'm not! I never was! I'm just a scared Deku Scrub when push comes to shove! Saria was braver than I'll ever be!"

Link crossed his arms and stared down at his older brother angrily.

"My father once taught me that self pity doesn't help anyone," he said sternly.

Mido glared up at the tall person before him. How could he _possibly_ understand? But he didn't give voice to either his disgust, or his disagreement. He lowered his head.

"Thanks," he mumbled grudgingly, rubbing his arm.

"For what it's worth," Link began, and Mido looked up at him once more, "I think you're a great leader."

"How's that?" Mido asked bitterly, looking away again.

"You held them together when it all threatened to come apart," Link explained, "they look up to you when the chips are down. They rely on you to guide them through hardship; that's what makes you a good leader."

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A week passed before Saria awoke again, amidst the cheers of the happy, elated forest children, her brothers and sisters. The first thing she did was approach the big person who had saved her life. She held out a small, green, metallic coin in her outstretched palm, and smiled up at him.

"The spirits wanted me to give you this before you left, mister, as a way of saying 'thank-you' for giving them back their home," she explained.

Link smiled, and took the coin from her.

"Thank you," he said, and turned to leave.

"Good luck on your journey," Tiberius called shrilly.

"And don't forget to come back and visit us some time!" Saria added.

Link raised a hand in response. The movement caused something to fall from his pack, and clatter to the ground. The tall person continued on, not bothering to pick it up; Mido rushed over, and picked up the short sword.

"Hey, mister!" He called, "You dropped this!" He held the sword high over his head.

"Keep it!" Link called back over his shoulder, "It was loaned to me, and I promised to give it back when I was done with it!"

"You sure!?" Mido shouted.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Link answered with a smile. With that, he faded into the mist beyond the village boundary.

Mido looked down at the sword in his hand, and gasped in surprise. This was…this was…

_The Kokiri Sword!? _But he hadn't seen it in seven years!

_That means…, _Mido realized. He smiled.

_Link._

"Well, what do you know?" Mido asked himself quietly, "He got taller after all."

"Mido?"

He turned to look at Saria, who was looking worried, and confused at the same time.

"Is everything alright?" She asked hesitantly.

Mido embraced her reassuringly.

"Don't worry, Saria," he said, as he fastened the sword about his waist, "Everything's going to be alright."

He looked down the path, where the stranger had departed.

_Everything was going to be just fine._

* * *

**Author's Note: P.S. Spoiler alert! If you don't want to know, then do not read this next part: Yes; Saria eventually learns that her rescuer was, in fact, her little brother, Link!**


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